David Bryan Hughes, age 63, of North Platte, NE, passed away May 21, 2026, at home with his loving wife.

David was born August 7, 1962, in Denver, CO, to Gene and Eloise (Shcoen) Hughes.

David spent his younger years growing up in the Ozarks in Missouri before his family moved to Denver, CO. There he graduated high school and attended Barnes Business College for one year. Deciding college was not his path, David struck out on his own, working at a water treatment plant. After trying a few lines of work, David fell in love with construction. He had a talent for reading blueprints and schematics, seeing whole buildings where others could only see pieces of paper.

During his career, he found a steady employment building Home Depots and his job took him to many distant locations. During his travels, a chance misdial changed the trajectory of his life forever. While at home, David received a call from a pay-phone from a stranger named Kathleen Martinez. She had unknowingly dialed a wrong number and he found her stimulating like no one he had talked to before. After chatting for quite some time, David asked for her address and showed up looking to court her. Though hesitant, Kathleen agreed and they spent the next 29 years together, finally tying the knot at David’s insistence on January 29, 2026.

Throughout their lives together, David always was in tune with his wife. She could never get anything by him, whether it be a surprise spoiling of their kids at Christmas or a conversation she was putting off. She was his person, matching his wit and challenging and understanding him in a way no one had before. He spoiled her to the best of his ability, even going out with her to celebrate their marriage while gravely ill.

David will be remembered as a practical man. He was a marksman, a hunter, and a fisherman. He farmed a little, raising chickens and growing his own food. He was a handyman, able to understand how things worked and how to fix them without ever seeing anyone else work on them. But most of all, he will be remembered for his humor and intelligence, which dictated every part of how he lived his life.

Those left to cherish David’s memory are his wife Kathleen; children Jacob (Stephanie) Hughes of Denver, CO, and Chelsea Hughes of Littleton, CO; grandchildren Kassidy, Noah, Giana, Zaeden, Jameson, and Theodore; sisters Kathleen (Scott) Fraiser and Patty Hass of Salina, KS; sister-in-law Retta Hughes; and many, many more nieces, nephew, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents Gene and Eloise, brother Mark Hughes, and grandparents Grammy and Pop Pop.

Cremation has been chosen by the family. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is assisting the family.