Sandra (Sandy) Kay Hughes, 79, of Walworth, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021 in Hudson, Florida, surrounded by her children.
She was born to Francis “Frank” Leonard and Jeannette Marie (Simonson) Perren in Chicago, Illinois on Sept. 17, 1941. After her father’s sudden passing in 1946, Jeannette moved Sandy back to her hometown of Walworth to be surrounded by family and raise her on all the real (milk, butter and cheese) dairy she could ever want.
She was proud to be a part of the first graduating class from Big Foot High School in 1959. After graduation, she moved to Chicago taking a job with Spiegel Company. It was there that she met and married her loving husband Robert Charles Hughes in 1961 with whom she began her family. After her mother’s sudden passing in 1965, Sandy, this time with her husband, again moved back to the family homestead (that was built by her grandfather, Julius P. Simonson in 1901) in Walworth and their family continued to grow.
Though she held many jobs around the Walworth area, Sandy started her life career in insurance when she joined the Wm. ”Bill” Mackelfresh Agency in the early 1970’s, holding many titles including up to office manager. When her boss, good friend and mentor Bill decided to retire, she quickly and easily passed her exams to become the licensed owner of the new Sandra Kay Hughes Insurance Agency in 1992.
Her many interests included reading, travel, bowling and small airplanes, but none was surpassed by the love for her family. As you could often find her with a book in hand, and an avid bowler, she started at just 12 years old becoming a pinsetter for a nickel a line. When her mother Jeannette and Aunt Lois Warfield along with several other area women helped start the Women’s Bowling League in Walworth in 1941, she had no idea how far that would last throughout out her life. In her 50-plus years of bowling, she was able to include bowling on the same league and team with both her daughters, Charlene and Tammie. This also afforded her the opportunity to travel and attend many tournaments all around the U.S. She served for 41 years in many positions from secretary up to association director, to her highest honor of being inducted into the United States Bowling Congress Wal-Roc Bowling Hall of Fame in 2016.
To continue her love of travel she studied for and became a licensed private pilot in 1996, which allowed her the ability to take not only her family, but friends sightseeing around Wisconsin and the neighboring states.
Sandy is survived by her four children: Charlene (Kelly) Kelley of Walworth, Edwin ”Ted” (Shirley) Hughes of Mechanicsville, Virginia, Tammie (Marion “Rocky” Padgett) Hughes of Paris, Illinois and Anthony “Tony” (Linda) Hughes of Mechanicsville, Virginia; grandchildren: Kevin (Lesley) Kelley, Edwin (Kaitlyn) Hughes, Marcus Hughes, Alec (Alexandra) Kelley, Jacob Hughes, Kaitlyn Kelley, Daniel Padgett, Justin Hughes and Abigail Hughes; and great grandchildren: Evelyn Hughes, Adalyn Hughes, Asher Kelley and Gregory Kelley; her dear companion Robert ”Bob” Washburn and many dear cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Jeannette, a sister Laverne May Perren, in 1933, and her loving husband of 47 years, Robert “Bob” C. Hughes in 2008.
She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
Due to the pandemic, there are no immediate services scheduled however, a celebration of life is being planned for summer.
