James B Hough

Mr. Hough, 97, of Pageland, South Carolina funeral services are rendered by Flemming Funerals-Pageland.

James was born to the late Hollis & Arlevia Hough on November 07, 1921.  He was born in Lancaster County, Flat Creek Township per his birth certificate and raised in Jefferson, SC.  He was educated at Shannon Training School until the ninth grade. He had ten sisters and one brother.  He assisted his parents around their farm and sharecropped for others.  He often spoke of plowing the fields with their mule ‘Nell’ sunup to sundown.  He and his brother Detroit played basketball on the school team and were said to be the stars of the team.  He said that their dad never attended the games, but once someone told him that his sons were the star players on the team, he attended a game and was so awed by ‘his boys’, that he never missed another game.  At the age of 21, James was drafted into the Army.  On Saturday, November 2, 2019 at the home he so dearly loved, he peacefully departed from time and transitioned into eternity.  God, The Father, allowing him to depart on a day already seared into our hearts and memories, for on November 2, 2001, we lost our sweet sister Shelia “Sugarboot” Chambers.

For PFC Hough the Army allowed him to travel to places he’d only heard of such as Alabama, Louisiana, Washington, Alaska, Canada, New York and ultimately crossing the Atlantic Ocean bound for France and the Normandy Invasion of WWII.  He described the invasion as a bloody mess.  One of his responsibilities while serving in the army was to guard captured German soldiers.  He said most of them were not so bad, but that those SS Troops were rough.  He also often spoke of the discrimination he and other African Americans experienced in and out of the Army.  He said it was like fighting two wars, one at home and one abroad.  The war took him a long way from home.  He did some time in England, France, and Belgium (Pretty good for an ole country boy).  He said he kissed the ground upon returning to the United States.  He served in the Army from 1943 to 1946, then upon receiving his honorable discharge returned home to Jefferson, SC.  In 2004, after more than five decades, he finally received these long-overdue and well-deserved military medals:  American Campaign Defense Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars, WWII Victory Medal, and two Good Conduct Medals.

Hough returned home and resumed civilian life.  He said, once while sitting on a bus, he saw this little light-skinned, long-haired girl.  She was the girl of this dreams, literally.  He said he had seen this girl in a dream while he was serving in the Army abroad.  Her name was Estelle Robinson and marriage to her was inevitable. They were married on January 01, 1949 and from this union eleven children were born.  They resided in Jefferson for a while until moving to Pageland to raise their family.  Deacon Hough had accepted Christ as his Savior at some point in his life and was attending Sandy Grove United Methodist Church in Jefferson, SC but later joined his wife Estelle at Oak Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Pageland, SC.  At Oak Hill, he was ordained a deacon in 1982.  He also served as an usher, Chairman of the Deacon Ministry, sang on the Men’s Choir and Senior Choir and was Senior Choir President for a while.  He was a dedicated and faithful member for many years until his health declined.

JB worked in Charlotte, NC for some years doing maintenance work.  He also worked for the American Red Cross, where it was discovered he had a very rare blood type.  He was called upon specially to donate his blood to save the lives of several newborns and received a letter from then President JFK thanking him for his kindness and concern for his fellowman.  After leaving employment in Charlotte, he worked many years as a custodian at Petersburg Elementary School in SC until his retirement.

Deacon Hough was loved and respected by his family, many friends, church and community.  He served his country and the world very well fighting the enemy abroad in WWII and injustice here in the USA.  His days in the Army, though difficult, were among the most treasured and he often spoke of them with whomever.  God blessed him with a long life, outliving most of his family and friends.  As a Christian, he didn’t just talk the talk, he walked it. He loved The Lord and taught and inspired his family to do the same.  His motto for life, “Put it in The Master’s Hands and everything will be alright”.

Hough (as he was affectionately called by his wife) as a husband was loyal and true.  Daddy as a father, strong, dependable, protective, the best we ever knew!  And Daddy, without you, what will we ever do?

Left to celebrate his life and to cherish fond memories of him are:  his eight daughters, Andrea Marsh (Wallace) of Wingate, NC, Cynthia Pharr of Kershaw, SC, Patrice Chapman of Charlotte, NC, Teresa Tate (Kenneth) of Goldsboro, NC, Barbara Hough, Angela Walker (Carnell), and Cassandra Baker (Tommy) all of Pageland, SC and Doralyn Hough of Bethune, SC; a sister, Amanda Jackson of Brooklyn, NY; a brother-in-law, David Sellers; three sisters-in-law, Eliza Johnson, Myrtle ‘Von’ Robinson, Rose Robinson; Eleven grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren;  a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Preceding Deacon Hough in death: his wife, Estelle R. Hough; two daughters, Sheila Chambers and Debra Bolder; only son, Aaron L. Hough; son-in-law, Michael Pharr, Sr.; ten siblings, Collera, Vergie, Vermil, Elease, Evangeline, Ernestine, Joe Elaine, Lethia, Arlevia, and Detroit.

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