Kevin Dean Hughes II

Kevin Dean Hughes, II, 29, of Arden, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Wednesday, March 8, 2023 while vacationing in Florida with his family. He passed away peacefully in his sleep in a house filled with the family he loved dearly.

Born in Goldsboro, NC, he was the son of Peggy (Skillington) Hughes of Fletcher and Kevin Dean Hughes and his wife, AKA Kevin’s bonus mom, April (James) Hughes of Arden. He was the fiancé to be of Karly Vollgerbe of Hickory as he had planned to propose to her two days after his passing with his and her family present. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, Lynn Hughes, and his maternal grandparents, Tom and Doris Skillington.

Kevin’s passion for baseball dominated his life for the entire time we were blessed with his presence here on earth. Most of the lifelong friendships he made were directly connected to that love of the game and he stayed in contact with virtually everyone he ever played with until the end.

He was a 2012 graduate of A.C. Reynolds High School where he played baseball all four years and continued his baseball career and graduated from Montreat College in 2016.

From the time he could walk, he was a batboy for his father while he played softball and his love for the game and the people he met through it never ended. As a front office employee of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, a 1A minor league team owned by the Houston Astros, Kevin was able to continue his passion for the game and the people in it by being able to be where he loved while simultaneously earning a living doing so.

As an Astros employee Kevin was awarded two American League Championship rings in 2019 and 2021 and will receive a 2022 World Series ring posthumously.

In addition to baseball, Kevin loved fishing, golf, and most of all his network of friends and his family. His personality lit up a room and everyone in the room was immediately aware of his presence and were attracted to the joy and electricity he produced.

The most common statement about Kevin was “To Know Him Was To Love Him”!

Kevin loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and had recently recommitted his life to serving him and helping to lead others to the same joy he found in Gods love.

In addition to his parents, bonus mother, and fiancée, he is survived by a niece who was “his number one girl”, Aria Patterson; three sisters and one brother: Sarah Patterson and her husband Andrew of Fletcher; Corey Burdeski and his wife Jordyn of Fayetteville; Amber Hughes of Canton, GA; and Hayley Kelly and her husband Micah of Mountain City, TN; his paternal grandfather, Larry Hughes of Fairview; his maternal step-grandfather Ronnie Reese and his maternal step-grandmother Barbara of Mount Olive, NC and maternal step-grandfather Berry James of Pikeville, NC; and many cousins, aunts, and uncles.

A Celebration of Kevin’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at Trinity of Fairview with Pastor Stacey Harris officiating. Burial will follow at 4:30 PM in Pete Young Cemetery, 649 Chestnut Hill Road, Burnsville, NC. Family and friends will be received at the church from 12:30 PM until 2:00 PM prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Kevin’s memory may be made to the scholarship fund at Trinity of Fairview at www.trinityoffairview.com.

There is a memorial scholarship which has been established in his honor. Donations to this fund can be made by clicking the link to the Kevin Hughes II Memorial Scholarship Fund under the give tab on the church website.

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.