Doris S Hughes

Doris S. Hughes, 94, died on October 8, 2025, resting peacefully at her home in Salisbury. Born on October 26, 1930 at York Hospital in York, Pennsylvania, to the late Merle I. Stump and S. Katherine Stump, she was raised in Spry, Pennsylvania.
Following graduation from the William Penn High School in York in 1948, Doris attended Union Memorial Hospital Nursing School in Baltimore and graduated with her RN degree. She then went on to work as an operating room nurse at York Hospital. There she met the love of her life, Dick, and they married on June 3, 1961.
After a brief time in Glen Dale, Maryland, Doris and Dick moved to Salisbury in 1962 and began a family that included four daughters and many pets. In addition to raising her children, Doris immersed herself with volunteer activities, to include the Junior Board Auxiliary of Peninsula General Hospital (now Tidal Health), the Wicomico Garden Club, and being an active parent at St. Francis de Sales School where her girls attended. During these years, she also supported Dick as he became specialized in vascular surgery. Doris later returned to her nursing/medical career assisting Dick in his office, and then together in 1980, they opened the Hughes Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory which she managed until 1994.
Aside from her community activities, Doris was extremely involved with her church family. Although raised in the Methodist tradition, she embraced the Episcopal faith of her husband wholeheartedly. She contributed significantly throughout her adult life at both St. Peter's in Salisbury and The Church of the Holy Trinity in Oxford. Her many contributions at both churches included being a member of the Vestry, altar guild, outreach and mission work - including as chair of several programs, Episcopal Church Women and bible studies. On the Diocesan level, Doris served as a Convention Delegate at numerous conventions, served on ECW committees and as a Delegate at General Convention. For her many contributions to the Episcopal Church she received the Diocese Distinguished Service Award at the Diocese of Easton Sesquicentennial Convention in 2019.
Doris and Dick loved the Eastern Shore, particularly sailing and in 1972, they purchased a home in Oxford spending vacations relaxing on the Tred Avon River. In 1992, they moved there full time and Doris continued to live there after Dick died, continuing her active involvement both at church and in the community at organizations like The Salvation Army in Cambridge. Doris' frequently brought her grandchildren to The Salvation Army to start their lives of civic duty and charitable giving early. After a health scare, Doris moved back to Salisbury into independent living at Mallard Landing. Not one to ever sit still, Doris became a member of the events and food committees and took full advantage of the many organized outings offered by Mallard, including to concerts at Salisbury University, visits to lavender farms and restaurants all over the Shore.
Other hobbies included bridge, which she played up until her final weeks, painting, golf and dancing; and in her earlier years, bowling leagues, tennis, step aerobics, and water aerobics. She was an active member at Tred Avon Yacht Club, and both Green Hill and Talbot Country Clubs for many years. She embraced learning and read the paper every day to keep abreast of world happenings and was eager to discuss current events with her grandchildren.
Above all, Doris will be remembered for her keen sense of fashion and her innate ability to accessorize, and her pride in being smartly dressed on bargain prices. In addition to her parents, Doris was predeceased by her husband, Richard E. Hughes, M.D., her daughter Sarah G. Hughes, her sons-in-law, Kevan F. Hirsch and Frederick Mertes, sister Joan S. May, nephew Allen May and brothers-in-law William Goodwin and Arthur May.
Her memory will endure through her loving daughters, Amy Hughes Hirsch of Charleston, SC and her stepdaughters Sally Tabor and Jennifer Toole; Susan Hughes Mertes of Annapolis; Abigail Hughes Marsh of Salisbury and husband Steve; as well as her beloved grandchildren Keegan, Laney, Leighton, and Campbell Marsh; and Wil Mertes. Doris is also survived by her sister Nadine S. Goodwin as well as nieces and nephews.
A memorial service in celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at 2:00 P.M., with a visitation from 1:00 - 2:00pm at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 115 St. Peter's Street, Salisbury, MD. A reception following the service will be held in the Dining Room at Mallard Landing 1107 S. Schumaker Drive.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Church of the Holy Trinity, P.O. Box 387, Oxford, MD 21654; St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 115 Church St., Salisbury, MD 21801; or the Maryland Food Bank - Eastern Shore Branch, 28500 Owens Branch Road, Salisbury, MD 21801; or to your local Salvation Army.