ELISE HUGHES

HUGHES, Elise Cabell, was born in Columbus, Ohio, July 9, 1947. She died in Fredericksburg at Mary Washington Hospital on July 13, 2013 after a long illness. She was a graduate of Marymount High School in Richmond and attended Vernon Court Junior College in Rhode Island. Early in her public relations career, Elise worked for The Richmond News Leader under editor, James Jackson Kilpatrick, founder of the famed Black-Eyed Pea Society of America. Elise was named The Prima Tomato for the Society, founded in 1965, and was an honorary guest at the annual Black-Eyed Pea Society luncheons. She worked for the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce and served in the communications departments of CFS company, Life Of Virginia, James River Corp. and Blue Cross Blue Shield. She started the Life of Virginia Concerts on the Lawn series for which she was awarded Best Public Relations Program in Virginia. In addition, she worked with The Public Relations Council and served as a PR consultant for a myriad of local organizations. She served as president of the Old Dominion Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and of the Richmond Public Relations Association. Elise was preceded by her parents, Eleanor Lovatt Hughes and Joseph Chevallie' Hughes. Elise is survived by her daughter, Elise Cabell Chevallie' Lemmond Nalls and her son-in-law, Brian Andrew Nalls; her sister, Ellen Hughes Reid and her brother-in-law, James L. Reid Jr.; and her nephew, James L. Reid III. A memorial celebration of Elise's life will be held in Virginia in August. In lieu of flowers, financial contributions may be made to The Fan Free Clinic in Richmond, Va.

This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.