Inez Norma Hughes

Cambria: Inez N. Hughes, age 99, formerly of Cambria, died peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 at Randolph Health Services, under the care of Hillside Hospice. Inez was born March 14, 1920, in the town of Scott, Columbia County, the daughter of William and Mabel (Domes) Hermann. She attended various area country school including Stone, Kingston, Ross and Stancer, before successfully testing for 8th grade graduation at the Columbia County Court House in 1933. Her father was a farmer and her mother was a housewife. The family was very poor as it was during the time of the great depression. In her younger years after 8th grade graduation she served as a nanny for several prominent families in Portage, Beaver Dam, Madison, and Rockford, Illinois, taking care of invalids and disabled. At times while serving as a nanny during the day she worked nights in the General Cigar Factory in Portage. Although baptized as an infant in the Manchester Lutheran Church, in 1938 she joined the First Presbyterian Church of Cambria where on August 17, 1940 she was united in marriage to David Carl Hughes. As a farmer’s wife, she spent most of her life helping on the farm. She was a devoted mother of three, very active in church serving as a Trustee, Deacon, Sunday school and Bible school teacher, member of Electi and Women’s Association. Inez, along with her husband, served as a 4-H General Leader for 29 years. She always enjoyed swimming, playing cards, traveling (especially to visit relatives in Wales, Germany, Ireland and Australia), baking pies, making cut-out cookies for family get-togethers and she liked taking care of her lawn and the flowers around her home. Going out for breakfast with friends and entertaining her great-grandchildren were also great pleasures of her life. Inez will be sadly missed and mourned by her children, Donna Jean White (friend Charles Jenkins) of Cambria, David John (Linda) Hughes of Cambria, and Diane Kay (George) Peachey of rural Markesan; nine grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren, 13 great great-grandchildren; her sisters, Evelyn (David) Grebel of Horicon, Mildred Daniels of Beaver Dam and Bonnie (Violet) Williams of rural Rio; many other relatives and friends. Inez was preceded in death by her parents, her husband David C. in 2003, son-in-law, Ronald White, brothers, Elwood and Arnold, a sister, Lillian, her brothers-in-law, Richard Daniels, Bill Heilman and Roy A. Williams, and her sisters-in-laws Arlein and Ardis Hermann. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church in Cambria with Rev. Kristin Frederich officiating. A private family burial will be held in the Cambria Cemetery. Relatives and friends can greet the family after the funeral service in the church fellowship hall where a luncheon will also be served. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Cambria Cemetery Chapel, the First Presbyterian Church or the Cambria Community Swimming Pool. The Kratz-Smedema Funeral Home in Cambria is serving the family. For online condolences or more information, please visit www.kratzfh.com.