Mary Austin Campbell Hughes

Mary Austin Campbell Hughes, 89, died at her home in Wytheville, Virginia, on February 20, 2009. Mrs. Hughes enjoyed a lifelong love and concern for all people. She is remembered most as one who gave tirelessly of herself to brighten the lives of others. She was a gracious and wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to her own family, and to the many whose lives she touched every day. Mrs. Hughes was a devoted member and important force of St. John's Episcopal Church for sixty years. The widow of Dr. Charles Brock Hughes and the daughter of the late Mary Austin Campbell and Fitzgerald "Fitz" Campbell, all of Wytheville, she was the granddaughter of Susie Stuart Campbell and Judge A. A. Campbell of Wytheville, and Mary Austin Scott Campbell and Hugh Campbell of Richmond.
Mrs. Hughes, who grew up in Wytheville, graduated from Wytheville High School and the National Cathedral School in Washington D.C. She attended Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia. As a Trustee of St. John's Church and a leader of the Episcopal Church Women, she was one of the first women to serve on the vestry of St. John's. She was a member of the Stuart Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of the Junior League of Augusta, Georgia, an organization that was very special to her. Rotary International named Mrs. Hughes a Paul Harris Fellow for a lifetime of unselfish service and concern for individuals throughout her community.
Dr. and Mrs. Hughes wed in 1940 and were married for 54 years until his death in 1995. She is survived by her five children, three sons-in-law and two daughters-in-law, Mary Austin "Merrily" Hughes Hodges and Thomas G. Hodges, of Wytheville; Lee Hughes Johnson and Charles S. Johnson, of Wytheville; Charles B. Hughes, III and Lisa Diccianni Hughes, of New York, N.Y.; Fitzgerald "Jerry" Hughes and Mary Rowland Hughes, of Roanoke, and Suzanne Hughes Detlefs and Dr. Richard Detlefs, of Atlanta, Georgia.
Mrs. Hughes is also survived by her sister, Mrs. Campbell Drake, of Lynchburg, Virginia, and her two sisters-in-law, Ella Hutchens Campbell, of Avon, N.C. and Mary Lou Campbell of Wytheville. Her three deceased siblings are Archie A. Campbell, Frances Campbell Howell and Hugh Gould Campbell.
Nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren survive Mrs. Hughes. Her grandchildren are as follows: Ashley Johnson Harlow and John Harlow, of Roanoke, Mary Austin Hodges George and Michael George, of Rye, N.Y., Allison Johnson Bloomfield and Kevin Bloomfield, of Roanoke, Thomas G. Hodges, Jr. and Jennifer Perkins Hodges, of Charleston, S.C., Samantha and Erik Linkous, of Roanoke, Laura E. Campbell Hodges, of Charlottesville, Virginia, Mary Flynn Detlefs, of San Francisco, California, Charles "Chip" Johnson, Jr. of Charlotte, N.C., and Charles Brock Hughes, IV, of New York, N.Y. Great-grandchildren are Madison, Campbell, Grayson and Tyler Bloomfield, of Roanoke, Brock, Cole and Mary Austin George, of Rye, N.Y., Alexander Hodges, of Charleston, S.C.; and Madalyn Linkous, of Roanoke.
A service to celebrate the life of Mrs. Hughes will be held Tuesday at 3 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in Wytheville with the burial to follow at East End Cemetery in Wytheville. The family will receive guests at Mrs. Hughes's home, 215 Madison Street, Wytheville at any time or on Monday from 5 to 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made to St. John's Episcopal Church, 275 East Main Street, Wytheville, The Brock Hughes Free Clinic, 100 Edgemont Road, Wytheville, or Boys' Home, 306 Boys' Home Road, Covington, Virginia 24426.
Barnett Funeral Home, Wytheville, Va. is in charge of the arrangements.