Ralph C. Hughes

Ralph C. Hughes, 89, of East Moline, Illinois, passed away Sunday, December 18, 2016, at New Perspective Senior Living, Silvis.

Private graveside services will be at Rock Island National Cemetery. Cremation will take place at Trimble Crematory, Moline, under the direction of Trimble Funeral Home. Memorials in Ralph's name may be made to QC Paws (4001 78th Avenue, Moline) or Quad City Animal Welfare Center (724 2nd Avenue, Milan).

Ralph Carman Hughes was born at home in Hagerstown, Indiana on October 19, 1927, the third and last son of Ralph Carlton Hughes and Euveda Bousman Canaday. In 1928, the family moved to Anderson, Indiana where Ralph graduated from high school. After receiving an honorable discharge from the United States Navy at the end of World War II, Ralph enrolled in the School of Agriculture at Purdue University.

While in college, he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, plus the Alpha Zeta and Ceres scholastic honorary fraternities. In 1948, he married Charlotte Ann Bronnenberg, the daughter of Melvin Ransom Bronnenberg and Ruth Alice Green of Chesterfield, IN. Ralph received a B.S. degree in Agricultural Education from Purdue in 1951 and was hired by the University Agricultural Experiment Station to edit publications written by the college professors.

In 1954, Deere & Company hired Ralph as an assistant editor for The Furrow, the Company's farm magazine. In 1960, Ralph became an agricultural advertising copywriter, creating sales literature, magazine ads and motion picture scripts for a variety of John Deere farm equipment. In 1963, he was given the challenge to introduce and promote Deere's new line of lawn and garden tractors and equipment.

As that product line became increasingly popular, he was given a staff and "outside" advertising agency to supervise. In 1984, Ralph was named the Worldwide Director of the Deere & Company advertising department then numbering more than 150 people. Under Ralph's leadership, the advertising department coined the slogan "Nothing Runs Like A Deere". In 1992, he retired from Deere & Company. During his career and after retirement he authored three books and wrote numerous magazine articles.

Ralph also was active in community affairs. He serviced as a Republican precinct committeeman for 10 years and was on the East Moline Park Board for 21 years. For over 30 years, Ralph researched his family's genealogy. Other hobbies included playing Bridge with his wife and friends, attending basketball games and taking bus tours. Ralph and Charlotte's greatest pleasure was their children and grandchildren.

Ralph is survived by his wife, Charlotte; daughters, Jane (Rick) Leggett Lampkin of Moline; Cynthia (Larry) Ziegler of Coal Valley; son, William Hughes of Moline; and a daughter-in-law, Katie Hughes of Boise, Idaho. Ralph is also survived by three grandchildren, Craig (Cara) Ziegler of Naperville, Illinois, Madeline Hughes of Oak Park, Illinois, and Ross Hughes of Ames, Iowa. Ralph is also survived by two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, George and Frank Hughes; and a son, R. Charles "Chuck" Hughes.

Visit Ralph's personal tribute page at www.TrimbleFuneralHomes.com to share stories and condolences, and light a candle in his memory.