Dale R. Hughes, M.D., age 83, of Norman passed away Thursday, June 24, 2021. He was born July 3, 1937, in Puyallup, Washington, to the late Mildred and Orval Hughes. Dale attended grade school and high school in Aline, Oklahoma, where he was valedictorian of his senior class. After graduating from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in three years, he attended the University of Oklahoma Medical School where he was awarded the Outstanding Medical Student Award. Dale served his internship in King County, Washington, and did his residency at OU Medical Center. During his residency, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam from 1966-1968 as a field hospital surgeon. In 1969, Dale opened what became Hughes-McCurdy Clinic in Norman, and was a general and vascular surgeon until his retirement in 2002.
He was a life-long learner, teacher and student who continued to take classes at OU until his very last days. Dale was a member of the Cleveland-McClain County Medical Society, the Oklahoma Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons and the Norman Lion’s Club. He served as President of the Norman Regional Hospital Staff and was an Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 789. He was also a member of McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church and the Friendship Sunday school class.
Dale was an avid hiker, golfer, enjoyed exercising, and driving a tractor at the family farm in his later years. A loving husband, father and grandfather, he will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Donna K. Hughes; two sons, Dow R. Hughes and his wife Deanne, and Dave R. Hughes and his wife Michele; and five grandchildren, Dutton Hughes, Duncan Hughes, Kendall Hughes-Reeves and her husband James, Bennett Hughes and Clayton Hughes. In addition to his parents, Dale was preceded in death by one sister, Betty Jean Griffin; two brothers, Ben Hughes and Don Hughes; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Nina and Bernard Dow; and one brother-in-law, Johnny Dow.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to McFarlin United Methodist Church (Columbarium Fund) or Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Tom Merrill and his team for going above and beyond.