William “Bill” Hughes 87, of Murphy was called home to his Lord and Savior Thursday, July 2, 2026. He was a native and lifetime resident of Murphy. Bill attended Western Carolina College beginning in 1956 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1960. He then married the love of his life, Barbara Jones Hughes, on June 11, 1960. In the fall of 1960, he took his first teaching position at White Church School, where he also coached 8th grade girls basketball. In 1965, Bill was appointed as Principal of Murphy Elementary School, where he worked for the next 32 years until retiring from the school system. While serving as principal, Bill earned a Master’s Degree in Education.
Bill devoted 32 years to serving the Town of Murphy. He served 12 years on the Murphy Town Council before being elected mayor in 1997. He went on to serve as mayor for 20 years, retiring at the end of 2017. During his years of public service, Bill helped guide Murphy through growth, change and challenge while never losing sight of what made our town special.
Bill cared deeply about downtown Murphy, our historic assets and the future of our community. His legacy remains visible through Bill Hughes Avenue, named in his honor in 2021. But his greatest legacy is found in the students he encouraged, the families he served, the people he supported and the community he spent a lifetime loving.
Bill was a faithful member of Murphy First United Methodist Church and a longstanding member of Murphy Civitan Club.
He was the son of the late Neal Wallace and Kathlyn Marie Bobo Hughes.
Surviving are his wife of 66 years, Barbara Hughes of Murphy; two daughters, Linda Hughes Cann and husband, Marty of Abbeville, South Carolina, and Lisa Brown of Hoschton, Geogia; two brothers, Harry Hughes and wife, Vangie of Mississippi, and Bobby Hughes of Georgia; four grandchildren, Lauren Johnson and husband, Matthew, Will Brown and wife, Makala, Cody Cann and wife, Jennifer, and Bonnie Cain and husband, Brendon; seven great-grandchildren, Aven, Freya, Sophie, and Archer Johnson, Eleanor Brown, and Lily Kate and Hannah Ann Cann.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 P.M., Monday, July 6, 2026 in the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy, with the Reverend Evan Hill officiating. Interment was in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Matthew Johnson, Will Brown, Brendon Cain, Davis Bryant, Larry Westmoreland, and Gary Westmoreland.