Georgia Newspaper Profiles Elvin Hughes Jr. '73

November 25, 2013

An article in Canton, Georgia's Cherokee Tribune profiles " a very special person," 1973 DePauw University graduate Elvin Hughes Jr. The column by Marguerite Cline traces the life of Hughes, who is described as " a gem" by a co-worker at Georgia Veterans Cemetery, where is now employed. (photo: Hughes in his days at DePauw)

"His mother decided for him to begin piano lessons when he was about 6 years old," Cline writes. "She got him a briefcase for carrying his music ... Elvin credits his piano teacher for teaching him more than music. Disciplining himself to practice and sticking with things he did not want to do were two of them ... His music lessons and practicing paid off big-time. After high school, he got a full college scholarship and was off to DePauw University in Indiana. Next, Elvin decided he would join the Air Force. First, he auditioned for the Air Force Band. After he was guaranteed he would be a member, he enlisted. In the band he was assigned to play percussion, including xylophone, chimes and timpani ... At least three times while Elvin was a member of the Air Force Band, he played for the president of the United States at the time including Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter."

After 26 years, Hughes retired from the Air Force, earned a degree in music education and "worked as the director of a middle school orchestra. Joking, he says he learned then there is something worse than having a violin out of tune. It is having six violins out of tune. Now working with families who bring their loved ones to be buried at Georgia National Cemetery, Elvin is doing what he likes most -- helping others."

Read more at the newspaper's website.

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