Evelyn Bright Hughes, 96, of Center, passed away Sunday, July 4, 2021, in Center.
Funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center with visitation starting one hour prior. Bro. James Goodwyn will officiate. Interment will follow at Campti Cemetery in Center.

Evelyn Bright Hughes passed away July 4, 2021. Born in the Campti Community to Price and Vera Forsyth Bright on January 23, 1925, she attended Campti School through 8 th grade and then Shelbyville High School graduating in 1942. She met her sweetheart on the first day of grade school and told her mother at the close of the school day that she had found her boyfriend. She and Brother Travis were married 75 years and 9 months when death separated them. They loved their community and church and had a wonderful life helping others.

At age twelve Evelyn became a devout Christian when she received the gift of the Holy Spirit in the little country church. She and her husband, Travis, worked in the ministry for over sixty years never requiring a salary or benefit package and donated land and founded the Campti Pentecostal Church in 1972. She left this earth proudly proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to friends and the sitters that assisted her in her last weeks.
She was a giver to those in need and passed on encouragement to the broken hearted. People come to us telling us of the times she helped them when no one else would.
As a Mother and Grandmother nothing made Evelyn happier than to attend church with her family and friends and to cook for them. Many Sunday gatherings of family and church members included fish fries at their camps. She had cooking skills for pies, cakes, fresh vegetables and Chicken Dressing and Dumplings unequaled by most and freely shared every recipe encouraging the young women to cook for their family at home instead of fast
food. Her homemade birthday cakes are still remembered as the best by her children. She was fearless in business and an independent woman who thought for herself. Her hobbies were collecting glassware and playing “42” at the Senior Citizen Site.
She and her husband worked 88 full grown head of cattle until they were in their late 80’s. Any Wednesday could find them taking a load of cattle to the Center sale in their old red trailer. Earlier she had run a grocery store and helped with broiler and laying hen farms through the years. She was a bookkeeper, secretary and financial genius for her family. She gave us Dave Ramsey tips before we ever heard his name. She was underappreciated by all because of her willingness to work hard without complaint or praise. She will be missed by her family and those she prayed for often. Her prayer was to meet up with all of us in Heaven.

 

She is survived by children, Mary Culver and husband Jim, Mavis Carter, and Martha Goodwyn and husband James; grandkids, Michael Warren and wife Krista, Candace Carter Mahan and husband Will, Bradley Goodwyn and wife Sherry, T.J. Goodwyn and wife Blaine; great grandkids, Kyla and Mason Warren, Austyn Mahan, Judson and Jewel Goodwyn, Madison, Joshua and Jeremiah Goodwyn.

Preceded in death by her husband, Travis Hughes; parents, Price and Vera (Forsyth) Bright; sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Sonny Jameson; son-in-law, Mac Carter.

Pallbearers will be Michael Warren, Will Mahan, T.J. Goodwyn, Thomas Powell, Jim Culver, Steve Jameson, Nolan Borders, Bob Carter, and Jason Rodgers. Honorary pallbearers will be Roe Belrose, Billy Rodgers, and Tom Powell.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Campti Cemetery 357 CR 3080 Center, TX 79535; and Campti Pentecostal Church P.O. Box 329 Shelbyville, TX 75973.

Online condolences and tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfuneralhome.com