MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Conor Barbezat Hughes, 34, passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 2, 2024 at his home in Minneapolis, Minn.

Conor was born April 19, 1989 to James W. Hughes and Debra A. Barbezat in Northhampton, Mass. He attended school in Waterville. Conor was an avid musician, learning violin in school, and African drumming from a master African drummer. He then continued to teach himself to play drums, guitar and mandolin. While attending Waterville High School he was a two-time member of the State Champion Waterville Science Olympiad team and loved playing drums with his rock band.

Conor was very active in the Alfond Youth and Community Center in Waterville, where he earned his black belt in Hen Sen Ryu Karate with Club Naha. He earned his B.A. in Economics with Honors at The University of Chicago and was on the verge of receiving his Ph.D in Economics from The University of Minnesota. At each stage of his life he made many lifelong friends.

After graduating from Chicago he worked at Cornerstone Research in Menlo Park, Calif., the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Mass.

Conor is survived by his mother Debra Barbezat of Falmouth Foreside, father and stepmother James and Rhonda Hughes of Fredericksburg Texas; stepsister, Ashley Smith and her husband Jimmy Ngo of Firestone, Colo., stepbrother, Clayton Smith and his wife Rebecca Smith of Fredericksburg, Texas; uncle, John Hughes and family of Golden Valley, Minn.; uncle, John Barbezat and family of Yonkers, N.Y. Conor is also survived by his many friends all over the world who he loved and they in turn loved him deeply.

Conor is preceded in death by his grandparents Maurice and Anna Barbezat of Yonkers, N.Y., grandparents John and Betty Hughes of Ormond, Beach Fla.

Conor was buried beside his beloved grandparents Feb. 8, in private services at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Yonkers, N.Y.

Memorials may be

made to the

Alfond Youth and

Community Center,

126 North St.,

Waterville, ME 04901

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