Mr. Gary Wayne Hughes, 66, of Forest Creek Circle, Hartwell, passed away Monday, April 11, 2016 at Emory University Hospital.

Born on November 6, 1949 in Lafayette GA, he was the son of the late James Herman Hughes and Virginia Sue Canada Hughes.Mr. Hughes was a former investigator with the Madison County Sheriff Department and retired from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation after twenty five years of service, where he was ASAC of the Piedmont Northern MANS Unit.He was a member of the Joy Baptist Church in Hull, GA, the Georgia Peace Officer Association and a US Army veteran serving in the Vietnam War.

Survivors include his wife: Joan Vickery Hughes; three sons: Kenneth Hughes and his wife Lori of Danielsville, Marc Hughes and his wife Terri of Watkinsville and John Starrett and his wife Rene' of Hartwell and one daughter: Tonya Teel and her husband Jaye of Hartwell; one brother: Michael Hughes of Athens; and nine grandchildren also survive.Mr. Hughes was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife: Barbara Frances Ross Hughes and one brother: Jeff Hughes.

Funeral services will be Friday, April 15, 2016 at 11:00 am at the Hartwell First United Methodist Church with Dr. R. Allen Stewart and Mr. Leon Pierce officiating.Burial will be in the Evergreen Memorial Park in Athens, GA at 3:00 p.m.

The body is at the Strickland Funeral Home of Hartwell, where the family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening.The family is at the home.Flowers are optional, memorials may be made to the Hartwell First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 200 East Howell St., Hartwell, Ga 30643.

The Strickland Funeral Home of Hartwell is in charge of all arrangements.