Jane Ballin Hughes

Emilia Jane Hughes, known to all as Jane, passed away peacefully on February 16, 2026, in Perrineville, New Jersey, at the age of 98.
Born in 1927 in Washington, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of Alice and Harold Ballin. She attended boarding school in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from Skidmore College in 1949 with a B.S. in Fine Arts.
Jane was predeceased by her beloved husband, Ed Hughes, to whom she was married for 34 years. She is survived by her four children, Lynn (Bill), Wendy (Richard), Janey, and Ted (Mine); 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Throughout her life, Jane maintained a deep love of art, gardening, and flower arranging. She lived for 13 years in the United Kingdom and later retired with her husband to Kilmarnock, Virginia, where she served as President of the Kilmarnock Garden Club and became a National Garden Club Master Flower Show Judge. She was honored to exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fine Arts & Flowers Show and remained active in garden club work for many years.
Jane also enjoyed sewing, travel, bridge, and animals, and she shared her many interests with her family who are carrying on her legacy.
A private celebration of her life will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the World Wildlife Fund or to a local humane society.

More traditional (Legacy.com):
The family of Emilia Jane Hughes sadly announces her peaceful passing on February 16, 2026, in Perrineville, New Jersey, at the age of 98.
Known to all as Jane, she was the devoted mother of four children: Lynn (Bill), Wendy (Richard), Janey, and Ted (Mine). She was also the cherished grandmother of 11 grandchildren and great-grandmother of three great-grandchildren. Jane was predeceased by her beloved husband, Ed Hughes, who passed nearly 40 years ago. They shared 34 years of marriage.
Jane was born in 1927 in Washington, Pennsylvania, to Alice and Harold Ballin. After attending boarding school in Richmond, Virginia, she graduated from Skidmore College in 1949 with a B.S. in Fine Arts.
After settling in New York City, Jane continued to cultivate her lifelong passion for art and beauty. She began her professional career at McCall's, where she wrote sewing instructions accompanied by her own illustrations. Her artistic talents enriched every stage of her life—from painting murals in her first family home in Mountain Lakes, NJ, to leading an Interior Decorating Badge program including flower arrangements for Lynn's Junior Girl Scout troop. In later years, she became especially accomplished in flower arranging, earning numerous awards and accolades.
Jane also had a deep love of gardening, evident in the beautiful landscapes she created at her homes in both the United Kingdom, where she lived for 13 years, and in Kilmarnock, Virginia, where she and Ed retired in 1981. She served as President of the Kilmarnock Garden Club and, at the invitation of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, exhibited in their Fine Arts & Flowers Show. Jane later became a National Garden Club Master Flower Show Judge, and for many years traveled throughout Virginia judging exhibits and presenting her own floral designs. She was granted Emeritus status after relocating at the age of 87 to New Jersey to be closer to family.
Jane also attended NGC Landscape School and led her garden club in creating a welcoming entrance garden for the Lancaster Community Library in Kilmarnock. Her own extensive gardens were featured on Kilmarnock's local garden tour.
In addition to her artistic pursuits, Jane enjoyed sewing, travel, bridge, and animals. She traveled widely throughout the world with her beloved husband and, after his passing, continued to explore with family, friends, and even independently. Jane's enthusiasm for her many interests was contagious, and her children and grandchildren continue to share many of the passions she so lovingly embraced.
Her family takes comfort in knowing she is now reunited with those who went before her.
A private celebration of Jane's life will be held with family this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the World Wildlife Fund or to a local humane society.