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Francis Patrick Hughes, 61

Francis Patrick Hughes, 61, passed away on Sept. 20, 2017, due to complications from pulmonary arterial hypertension, or as Fran put it: “I’ve been farming over 40 years and my lungs are full of dirt.”

He was preceded in death by his father, Vincent P. Hughes, MD. He is survived by his sainted mother Joan C. (Fitz) Hughes; siblings, Mark (Averi), Fr. Benedict (Kevin), Marie, Fr. Brendan (Barry), Sheila (Mark) Strain, Theresa (Tim) Drahman, Sr. Marie Emmanuel (Margaret), Marty (Evan), Monica; and four aunts, one uncle and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Fran is also survived by his long-time office manager and loyal friend, Erica Gregerson, her husband Randy, and their two beautiful children, Aubrey and Nicholas. Those two precious little ones brought more joy to Fran’s life than anything.

Fran served on the Kootenai-Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District board of supervisors for nearly 30 years. Fran chaired the board during the 1990s, when the District administered the very successful Lake Creek soil conservation project, which directly led to the Cutthroat trout spawning recovery in Lake Creek. Fran also served as board chairman from 2011 until his passing, leading a variety of soil conservation and water quality projects that bolstered the District’s position in the conservation community and provided benefits to the entire region.

Visitation at English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls, Idaho, will be from 4 to 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 22. A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, Sept. 23, with interment following at Evergreen Cemetery. English Funeral Chapel of Post Falls is handling arrangements. Please visit Fran’s online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.

When you find out what’s worth keeping, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.