Headstone Dedication of Howard Hiram “Hi” Hughson
History of Hughson, California: The People, the Places, the Traditions of a Small Town
The mission of the Hughson Historical Society is to “record and preserve the history of Hughson and its citizens,” but this year, an added layer of sleuthing became part of the mission as Past President Janet Camagna discovered a descendent of Hiram Hughson, after whom the City of Hughson was named, was buried in Lakewood, marked only with a small placard, grown over with grass. Camagna quickly began a social media campaign to set things right and honor the legacy of a veteran and the great-grandson of the town’s namesake.
And so, in place of the first Tuesday of the month Historical Society Meeting in November 2024, the Hughson Historical Society joined together with the American Legion, Hughson residents, and family members of Howard Hiram “Hi” Hughson in the Pioneer Cemetery at Lakewood Memorial Cemetery and Funeral Home for the long-delayed headstone dedication of Hughson.
Danee Hutsell, pre-planning advisor at the Lakewood ceremony, led the service. In 2023, Hutsell joined the cause and researched how this could have happened. Through their research, Hutsell and Camagna discovered Paul Memorial in Pacific Grove, with Hughson’s niece, Hetty Eddy, handling arrangements for Hughson’s burial in 2006. Hughson’s will expressed the desire to be buried at Lakewood. When Paul Memorial could not reach Eddy by phone to approve the headstone, the design and placement went unapproved. Eddy returned to her home, away from the town, and was told by a family member that the headstone was in place. Over time, the grass began to grow.
When Ken and Carol Lundell discovered Hughson’s uniforms in an antique store in Monterey, they contacted the Historical Society to donate the uniform, a memorial book of photos and other memorabilia from Hughson they found in the shop. This set Past President Janet Camagna on the hunt for more information. She visited Lakewood Cemetery to photograph the gravesite and discovered that for 18 years, no headstone marked the grave.
“It was the Lundell family’s donation of military artifacts and photos, which they gifted the Hughson Historical Society, that sparked my interest in finding his gravesite which led me in a quest to put the wheels in motion to accomplish the goal of giving him the headstone he so richly deserved,” Camagna said.
Howard Hughson was born on September 15, 1918. He was a Navy captain during WWII, and he survived 29 battles in the South Pacific, including Pearl Harbor. He received five silver stars, four bronze stars and a Purple Heart. For 44 years, he lived in Pebble Beach and worked as a banker in Monterey prior to retirement. He died of complications related to cancer on March 26, 2006.
Hughson Historical Society President Cindy Spiro said, “His life journey took him all over the world, and yet he desired to remain in eternal rest in Hughson, California, named after his grandfather. Hiram Hughson. Perhaps he has fond memories of being a young boy visiting his grandparents on the farm. Or maybe he fished at the river, just down the hill. Nobody knows the reason for his decision, but for 18 years, his presence here was unknown.”
Hughson’s cousin, Melinda Garratt Nichols, offered a history of Hughson and his great-grandfather, interweaving the historical narratives that link these two men together across generations in war, injury, and wisdom.
Hughson grew up in Woodland and Piedmont, California, before attending UC Berkeley and law school at the University of Oregon. On February 28, 1941, Hughson was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to the destroyer, the USS Maury, in Pearl. Harbor, Hawaii. On the Pacific, Hughson was “a true example of superb leadership,” she said. “Howard had the ability to use his talent, skills, and emotional intelligence to mobilize people to a common cause and make a difference in their lives.”
But it was Eddy’s testimony that highlighted the heart within the man.
Without his own children, Hughson had a warm and kind relationship with his niece. With her and others, “Uncle Hi” was jovial, kind, friendly, and lit up a room with his presence. When he corrected employees, he did it in such a way “that made them strive to do better. He was a person that he could get along with anybody.”
His legacy was passed on to another generation. As Eddy’s son came into adolescence for the first time, Hughson began to share the stories of the battles he had seen and the experiences he had. “My son was very grateful for that,” she said. Time does heal some wounds.”
Originally published in the Hughson Chronicle & Denair Dispatch on November 19, 2024. The Hughson Chronicle & Denair Dispatch is part of MidValley Publications and is committed to the power of the positive press. Reprinted with Permission.
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