Nora Hughes

After a 15-year battle with ovarian cancer, Nora Marie Hughes passed away Tuesday December 6, 2022 at her home in Austin, Texas. Nora was born in 1950 to Frederick and Priscilla Hughes and grew up in Rockford, Illinois. She graduated from Rockford East High School. Always an excellent student, Nora went on to receive a degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin, graduating near the top of her class, and became a Registered Nurse.



Nora served the community as a nurse in numerous capacities, notably serving as a hospice nurse at Kaiser Permanente: Hollywood during the height of the AIDS crisis. She also worked as a nurse at hospitals in California and Texas. She finished her nursing career in the concierge practice of Dr. William Jones.



After the birth of her son, Thomas McLaren, Nora and her husband, James McLaren, returned to Austin. Nora continued to gain new skills and abilities throughout her life and became a consummate mother, chef, gardener, and homemaker and friend to many. She was a devoted mother to Thomas, and led a life not only of service and integrity but also of notable discipline, maintaining an admirable fitness program that influenced others to adopt healthy lives. She organized many hikes and kayaking expeditions with friends on Austin's trails, volunteered at the People's Clinic, and served as President of the Central Texas chapter of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. In 2005 she completed the north to south traverse of the Grand Canyon, traversing 28 miles and 2 miles of elevation change in one day.



There are no words to express the grief of such a loss. Nora Hughes led a life of quiet dignity, honesty, and strength, and was a shining example to those around her. She combined this with an acceptance of all and a sly sense of humor.



Nora Hughes is survived by her husband of 38 years, James McLaren; son Tom McLaren and his fiancé Thea Doyon of Ashland, Oregon; her sister Amy Goto of Chepachet, Rhode Island; her brother Kevin Hughes of Providence, Rhode Island; and her cousin Cindy Maus of Cedar Creek, Texas. Her extended family resides in all corners of the USA and is too numerous to enumerate here.



In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition at https://give.ovarian.org/.



A memorial service for Nora Hughes will be held in early 2023.