Valerie R. Hughes

Hughes, Valerie R. GLENMONT Valerie Rose (Kepka) Hughes, 57, passed away peacefully Saturday, Veteran's Day, November 11, 2017, at Albany Medical Center, with her loving family at her side. Valerie was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on August 10, 1960, the daughter of the late Rudolph J. and Emma Jean Kragel Kepka. She was a 1978 graduate of West High School in Sioux City, where she set several school swimming records. She attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison on a swimming scholarship before transferring to Iowa State University, from which she graduated. Later in her career, she received a master's degree in Tax from the University at Albany. Valerie commissioned in the U.S. Navy in 1985, in Newport, R.I., and was the honor graduate from Officer Candidate School (OCS). Her first duty station was in Washington, D.C., where she worked at the Navy Regional Data Automation Center (NARDAC) and met her loving husband. She then moved to Jacksonville, Fla., to work with Patrol Squadron 30. Her follow on tour was to Monterey, Calif., where she worked at the Defense Language Institute. She resigned from the Navy in 1992, when her daughter Emily was born. The family lived in Tokyo, Japan, for 2 years where her son Frank was born, then moved to Loudonville and later to Glenmont, three years ago. She was employed as a certified public accountant by KPMG in Albany, General Electric, and currently was affiliated with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) in Albany. Valerie loved bike riding and rode six times in RAGBRAI (Registers Annual Bike Ride Across Iowa) and also completed Bike Maine. She also completed the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. She enjoyed exercising, walking with friends, kayaking and was a worldwide traveler. She was a communicant of St. Pius X Church and served on the finance committee, a Girl Scout leader, a member of the Loudonville Ladies and GE Women's Book Clubs, YMCA Board of Directors member, St. Francis Orphanage in Haiti Supporter, Camp Chingachgook leader and a supporter of the Albany Symphony Orchestra. She is the beloved wife of 29 years of Frank J. Hughes Jr.; the best mother of LTJG Emily Jean Hughes, USN, USS Harry S. Truman and Frank Joseph Hughes III of Glenmont; dear sister of Holly Ann (Eric) Sorensen of Pocahontas, Iowa; sister- in-law of Shelly (Pete) Dick of Fleming Island, Fla. and Timothy M. Hughes Sr. (Lisa Hand) of Latham. She is also survived by Aunt Dorothy House of Watervliet and several nieces and nephews. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, at 10 a.m. at St. Pius X Church, 23 Crumitie Road, Loudonville, with Rev. James J. Walsh, pastor, officiating. Valerie will be interred at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at St. Pius X Church on Wednesday from 3-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions would be appreciated to St. Pius X Church Building Fund, 23 Crumitie Road, Loudonville, NY. 12211. Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com