Surprised is the word Clarence Hughes used several times to describe his feelings about being selected as the Grand Marshall of 4th of July Sesquicentennial Parade. He said he actually had to go back and make sure he had heard it right when he was first asked. 

Hughes went into Hess Lumber one day and saw Malad Area Chamber of Commerce President Eric Crowther. Eric told Hughes he had been going to call him because it had been decided that Hughes would be asked to be the Grand Marshall.  

“I was taken back,” said Hughes. “I was very surprised. I kept asking him if he was sure. He (Crowther) said, ‘Yep.’ We talked it over. Then, a week later I went back in and asked him if that was right.” 

Hughes continued, “I am honored, very honored! It is a real privilege!” 

Clarence Hughes was born and raised in the Malad Valley. He was born to Ralph and Alice Hughes on November 22, 1938, in Malad. He had four sisters and was the only son. His family made their home in Samaria where Hughes went to school until the eighth grade. He then attended Malad High School. Later, he would earn a certificate from Northwestern. He entered the world of retail right from the start. He bought a little store in Blackfoot that sold gas and groceries. He then went to work for a sausage-maker, Ray Mickelson in Blackfoot. He then went to work for the company he would stay with for many years. He began at Woolworth’s in 1959 in their Sugar House store in Salt Lake City. He became an invaluable employee to the company and was moved around quite often to other stores as they opened. He next went to Rock Springs, Wyoming. He spent two years in Logan before heading back to the Salt Lake area to work in the Cottonwood store where he was the lead assistant. While on vacation in Mexico, he received word from the district office that he would become the district manager in the Missoula, Montana, store. This was in 1964. It was a “Looking Back” moment from 50-years-ago in last week’s edition of The Idaho Enterprise. 

Hughes spent the next two years in Missoula before taking a three-month leave of absence. He was then sent to inventory the entire downtown Ogden store. In January of 1967, he was back in Salt Lake where he worked for the next five years. He had various jobs in that area, including special inventories. In 1969, Hughes was diagnosed with MS. He took an extended medical leave in 1972.  

Hughes has always been interested in family history and was called to work on Priesthood Genealogy in the Church Office Building in Salt Lake after he took his medical leave, an experience he loved for the next 20 years. 

“I have enjoyed genealogy ever since I was a little boy,” said Hughes. “It has been a passion.” 

During his time away from the Malad Valley, Hughes married LaRae V. Mickelson. They have two daughters – LeNie and Clare – and one son, Charles. All three of his children live with their families in the Salt Lake area, along with his 14 grandchildren and his 32 great-grandchildren. 

Hughes made the move back to the Malad Valley in 1993. He spent the next few years recuperating from MS. He then began work on a major project – organizing the Hughes family to write a book about their family beginning with their immigration to the United States. Each dependent of the family was assigned their family history to gather and Hughes put all that information together and created a book for his family. 

In 1999, Hughes became involved with the Samaria Park renovations and the Blue Goose. He spent the next 15 years working at the Blue Goose. Now, because of his health, he just works on Saturdays. Being at the Blue Goose is one of his favorite places to be. He said he has met many wonderful people in the store. 

“I love being at the Blue Goose,” said Hughes. “I am so honored to be there and greet people from wherever and tell the history. I have met people from Wales, Australia – from all over the world.” 

In 2010, Hughes oversaw the creation of another book, “We the People of Samaria.” This book was compiled by Hughes with the help of his sisters – Kay Higley, Marie Higley, and Janeal and her husband Phil. Hughes did much of the research and gathered the history for this book. 

Hughes has also been working for many years on another compilation titled, “The Golden Thread of Thoughts,” by the Old Bard. He said this book is not written to give people ideas but to help them bring out their own thoughts. He began work on this project in 1998 and continues to add to it often.  

His latest from the Old Bard reads: 

“The largest fear 

I must recognize 

Is that the pride 

That can grow  

In my heart 

Will overshadow 

The message 

Of the ink 

That humbly flows 

From my pen.” 

An earlier entry in this book reads: 

“No matter 

The size 

Of 

The ship 

It will only 

Make 

One 

Wake.” 

The first volume of this book is currently being digitized at Brigham Young University. 

Another undertaking for Hughes was the building of his home in 2007. It is in the shadows of the Samaria Mountains where Hughes has an extraordinary view of the area from all sides.  

“I love to study technical subjects, like geology,” added Hughes. “I love to study the Samaria Mountains. I love to go into the mountains. I love the people of the valley and am continually colleting histories.”  

“I have just had an exciting life!” concluded Hughes. “I wish everyone could have as much excitement in their lives as I have had.”