Stephen William Hughes

Stephen William Hughes was a creative, curious, aspirational man of conviction. He was a devoted father, and believed that the best thing he could give his two little boys was his time. He spent hours playing cars and lego with his Corwin and Evander during the 2020 Covid-19 quarantine. He liked to say "You're the best little boy any Daddy could ask for."

He loved nature, from his own childhood growing up in Hubley NS, where he would take his bike out on the old Fire Roads (unpaved trails of rock and mud, often flooded) and explored abandoned hunting camps, lost graveyards, the plants and animals of the woods, and one day, even biked to Peggy's Cove. His love of nature and abandoned places was a life-long passion, which he tried to inspire in his children, through many day-trips to trails and animal preserves around our homes in Nova Scotia, and later, Ontario. His dream was to move to Victoria, BC, so that the dual influences of the wild West Coast and their Grandparents, could help shape his sons.

Stephen dreamed of becoming a successful fantasy writer, and completed one novel, several short stories, and was well into two other novels, before his stroke in July 2020. He believed strongly in people, in equality, and in the power of the human spirit. I think it was this belief that sustained him for 6 months, despite the devastating loss of his left brain, his language centers, and his mobility. He pursued self-improvement his whole life, and never gave himself to excuses.

Stephen was a rare person who could communicate how he felt, and never left the important things unsaid. I knew that he believed in me, in everything I did, and that he thought I was beautiful and smart, and special, because he said so every day. He inspired me in every way, taught me how to say 'I love you', how to make coffee, and pushed me to accomplish my dreams.

Survived by his partner, Colleen Trim, his sons Corwin Hughes (5) and Evander Hughes (1.5), his sister Tracy and brother-in-law Stan, and his father William.

We are asking for stories and pictures of Stephen that can be used to make a book for his children.

A virtual wake will be organized after Stephen's passing, and several ceremonies for scattering of ashes will take place in the coming years, so that Stephen will have a chance to travel to new and old places, as he dreamed of.