Joanne Ellen Hughes (1936 – 2023)

Joanne Ellen Hughes, 87, of Huntingdon, Tennessee, went to heaven after a short, final battle with cancer on Saturday, December 9, 2023. Joanne was an incredible person who touched the lives of so many with her love, care, and dedication.

She was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 19, 1936, to Catherine [Larkin] Sullivan and John Joseph Sullivan. She grew up in Roslindale, Massachusetts with her six siblings. While growing up she and her brothers and sisters formed a life long bond that time and distance could not break.

Joanne achieved her dream of being a teacher when she graduated from Boston State Teachers College in 1958 and started student teaching at Randolph Public Schools. During her student teaching Joanne met the love of her life, Vincent. Vincent's sister, Peggy, was Joanne's supervising teacher and she introduced them. They were married on August 19, 1961 at Sacred Heart Church in Roslindale, Massachusetts. They later moved to Brockton, Massachusetts with their four sons. In June 1975, they moved to Huntingdon, Tennessee in search of a more relaxed lifestyle than Boston provided. They greatly enjoyed living in a rural atmosphere and made many fast friends.

Joanne had put her teaching career on hold to raise her children. After the move to Tennessee, she returned to teaching and worked for 23 years at Hollow Rock Bruceton Elementary School. She taught first and second grade.

Friends and family have many sweet memories of Joanne. These include her love of animals. There were several cats and dogs at the Hughes Farm that she doted on. Another is her dedication to her church family. She was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church in Huntingdon. She also loved flowers. Each Spring, her yard would be a sea of daffodils, crocuses, tulips, lilacs, and lilies. She also loved to travel with family. She took a trip each summer to various locations throughout the United States and Canada. Several years ago, she achieved her goal of visiting each one of the fifty states. She is also remembered for her love of sweets. Part of the wisdom that she passed onto her grandchildren was that Grandma can have a hot fudge sundae for dinner. The most precious memory we have of her is her sweet disposition. She was always kind and friendly to everyone she met and cared deeply for her friends and family. She maintained her positive attitude throughout several illnesses that plagued her later years. Joanne was a loving friend, wife, mother, sister, aunt, and grandmother. She will be greatly missed by all her friends and family each and every day.

Joanne was preceded in death by her parents, Catherine [Larkin] Sullivan and John Joseph Sullivan, her sisters and brothers, Dorothy Sullivan, Louise Hoar, Rita Lazzaro, Jack Sullivan and Paul Sullivan, one son, Andrew Hughes,  and is survived by her husband, Vincent J. Hughes, her siblings, Peggy Blair and Daniel Sullivan, her sons, Vincent M. Hughes [wife: Michele, grandchildren: Paul, Lauren, Samantha, and Juliette]; Patrick Hughes, Frank Hughes [wife: Diane, grandchildren: Frank Edward (Fred), and Nikki Ostby]; and Peter Hughes [wife: Melissa, grandchildren: Caroline, and Jack] and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at Chase Funeral Home in Huntingdon, Tennessee on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at 2:00pm CST.

Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Huntingdon, Tennessee on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 2:00pm CST.

A Celebration of Life will be held on May 12, 2024, in Foxboro, Massachusetts to allow her extended family to celebrate her life.

Joanne and her older siblings fought a lifelong battle with various cancers and ultimately lost that battle.   In lieu of sending flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society in memory of Joanne E. Hughes.  Joanne attended the annual Survivors' Dinners and was a contributing member to Relay for Life.

For further information, please email JHughesCeleb@gmail.com and the family will get back to you.  Also, if you have any pictures of Joanne you would like to share, please email them to us.

May Joanne rest pain-free in peace.