Alicia Hughes 1948-2011

John's mom had been battling terminal cancer for the last 3 years. Recently she was back in the hospital but was having a hard time recovering there was nothing more that the doctors could do. It was decided that she should spend her remaining time at home. November 4th she was supposed to come home but she passed away that afternoon. 

We received a call from John's dad that morning that she was in a lot of  pain and the hospital wouldn't be releasing her to come home. We hoped to arrive at Huntsman while she was still awake so we could all say goodbye. Alicia was in a lot of pain that morning and it was decided that pain reliever would be administered in higher and higher doses until she was unconscious. When we entered the room we could tell she was hurting, but even through all the pain she put on a smile and told Katie and Abi how much she loved them. The girls gave her loves and hugs. She and I hugged as well and told each other how much we loved each other, and as always, she told me I was beautiful. It was a tender moment. We stayed for a while and then left to take the girls home so John could return later. She passed away before he was able to return though he did go up to the hospital and spend the evening with his dad and siblings.

The next few days were filled with family meetings, phone calls to family and friends to pass the news, and a trip to the mortuary to get everything ready for the funeral. We went through a lot of pictures and it was fun to see so many photos I had never seen before. That week was spent with John's family, we went over to Johns dad's every day. The girls got to know their Aunt and Uncles better than they have before and it was really sweet to see those relationships develop. That week Alicia's sister Chata and her Husband Leoncio came from La Paz for the funeral. My girls, especially Katie, got attached to Chata during their stay.

The Obituary

Alicia Higuera Hughes 

"Missionary transferred, not released"
Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and sister returned to the loving arms of our Heavenly Father 4 November 2011.
Alicia was born 14 February 1948 to Luis and Gertrudiz P. Higuera in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. At 17 she was taught by missionaries and baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served faithfully in her branches and wards and for two years in the Monterrey Mexico Mission. She studied music at the National Institute of Fine Arts of Mexico. On 4 August 1977 Alicia married the man of her dreams, Steven Hughes, and together they were blessed with four children: D. Thomas, T. Aileen, Jonathan, John (Britta); and grandchildren: Katherine and Abigail Hughes. She enjoyed spending time with her family with whom she shared a love of reading, gardening, nature and music. Her family was always her priority and she made countless sacrifices to make sure they were always happy. Alicia was devoted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and missionary work her whole life. Alicia and Steven served as Stake and Ward missionaries for over a decade and she counted the experience as one of the most rewarding of her life. She was always willing to help those in need and to do whatever she could to brighten their day.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents; parents; siblings: Alejandro, Teresa, Armando, and Luiciano M. She is survived by her husband; children; siblings: Luis Manuel and Amalia.
Alicia and her family would like to thank the friends who gave their support and the wonderful people of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and Hospital for their care and service
Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 12, 2011, 11:00 a.m. at the Taylorsville 12th Ward, 4505 So. Brian's Way (3425 W.). Viewings will be held Friday, 6-8 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road and Saturday at the church, 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Published in Deseret News from November 9 to November 10, 2011

I see Abi in this picture of Alicia

The Funeral Program

The Viewing and Funeral

There was a viewing Friday night at the mortuary and many family and friends came to share their condolences and it was very appreciated. I feel at that point  grieving finally started for me. I had been fine all week but seeing all of those loved ones brought out my emotions.  The funeral was beautiful. Tommy gave a life story and it was so nice to hear about her life and stories that I had never heard before.  I asked for a copy because I feel it would be so sad not to have this information for our daughters to know about their grandma. I will post the transcript farther down. Steve's cousin's husband, David Young spoke and related the story "Love You Forever" showing the love of a mother as her son grows, he spoke of Alicia's sacrifices for her children. Then President Wells, who was her mission president, spoke about how vibrant she was as a missionary and about the lives of other missionary's that she had touched. He also spoke about the Plan of Salvation and the knowledge that we will once again be reunited with her. Steve even took some time at the end and spoke about what Alicia would have wanted to say. He expressed her love for everyone and spoke of her as a lifelong missionary. She loved the gospel and would share it with everyone she possibly could. The musical numbers were beautiful, and there was a very lovely spirit throughout the funeral. I of course cried through most of it. After the funeral we headed to the Salt Lake Cemetery for the graveside service. It was a bit rainy, very windy, and cold. I don't know if I had ever been to the Salt Lake Cemetery before, it is very charming and a fitting place for Alicia's body to rest.  

Steve and Alicia's engagement photo

Steve and Alicia's wedding announcement.
It was printed in both English and Spanish.

Alicia in her wedding dress

Her Life Story

Alicia Higuera Hughes was born the 14th of February 1948. She was born in the city of La Paz in the state of  Baja California Sur, Mexico. Her parents were Luis Higuera Murillo and Gertrudiz Peña Higuera. She the youngest of their eight children.

She was a gifted child and even when she was several years younger than her siblings that were going off to school she got permission to go with her sister several years her senior. At first she was allowed to sit in the class and observe but she picked things up so quickly that she was soon performing above the level of the others in the class. She was allowed to continue attending as a student. Having started school much earlier than normal she graduated when she was still very young and applied to law school but was told she too young to be considered at that point. She elected to study at the National Institute of Fine Arts of Mexico.

While attending there she was introduced by the head of the school, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to missionaries who taught and later baptized her when she was 17 years old. She served in different roles in the church in the area she lived in and later served as a missionary in the Monterey Mission in Mexico. To finance this she sold a piano that she loved and had purchased after saving for many years. She served for 2 years and developed a love of missionary work that stayed with her throughout her life.

After her mission, while helping with clean up and relief work from a hurricane that had struck the area she got to know Steven Hughes, an acquaintance from his time there as a missionary, who was also there to aid in relief work. They began a correspondence that led to their eventual engagement and marriage in the Salt Lake temple on 4 August 1977.

They started their life together while Steven was a student and although things were difficult financially they started a family soon after. Within a few years they found and moved to the home where she would spend the rest of her life. She was devoted to her family and even when she began to struggle with health issues she remained an example of hard work to those around her.

She made friends everywhere she went and maintained those friendships throughout her life. She loved and forgave easily and went out of her way to help anyone she could. She always had a special place in her heart for children and the elderly she met and loved spending time with both.

She didn't wait to be asked for, help she would look for the opportunity and did so quietly without most ever knowing what she had done. She thought nothing of giving and helping others even when it meant making sacrifices to do so. Even when she was struggling with her health she pushed herself to do things for others many times to the point of literal collapse. She quietly picked herself up and kept going and considered helping those she cared for worth the sacrifice.

Her religion and desire to be close to God was never something she fit into her life, it was a part of everything she did. Things that could be easily be taken for granted like attending church services and reading her scriptures required special effort and planning. She read daily while her sight was failing from cataracts and she struggled to even turn pages. She made huge efforts to go to church on Sundays against medical advice and the  days she spent in bed in pain recovering from the effort, and did so week after week.

One of her greatest joys in life was becoming a grandmother. She loved her granddaughters dearly. No matter what was going on, no matter how she was feeling, she always had a smile for them. Even in her last hours of life she smiled through the pain when she saw them.

Her life was lived as a demonstration of what she believed. She was an amazing person and will be sorely missed

We would like to express our most sincere thanks to all the family and to all those that were her friends through the years, to those who helped during all the times she was sick and in the hospital and after she passed away. We would also like to thank all those involved in her care especially those at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and Hospital. The efforts made and the compassionate care given throughout her illness will always be remembered and greatly appreciated.

Alicia lost a battle with cancer, a disease that claims too many lives. We would ask everyone to be informed and be screened.

                                                                                                     Written and given by Thomas Hughes
                                     

Family picture,  Alicia, Steve and Aileen on the right and
the boys top to bottom are Tommy, Bobby, and John. 

 It is wonderful to know that she is not in pain anymore and that she is reunited with many loved ones. I'm sure she is doing missionary work and when she has spare time I'm sure she is looking down on her family.  I have days where I miss her very much, and I wish I could talk to her about the girls or about John, but I can't. Steve has had the hardest time of any of us. He misses his companion, I hope he knows that his children, daughter in law, and granddaughters love him very much. I know John thinks of his dad and how he is doing often, the last few years Steve has been a wonderful care taker and now can rest from that. John looks forward to times when they can go and do things  together they both enjoy or talk about things they have in common. We have talked to the girls about Alicia and Katie will tell us she misses Grandma Hughes. We remind her that Grandma still loves her and one day we can all be with her again. We will show our girls pictures of Grandma Hughes often and tell them stories of her life and how much she loves them. I hope that by doing this our girls will be able to know their Grandma although she is not here.

Abi and Grandma Hughes July 2010

Grandma Hughes and Katie January 2008

John and Alicia at our wedding reception

As the weeks, months, and years go by I plan to share many photos and memories we have of Alicia. I want my children to know her and I feel this is a good place to put those memories so that they will have access to them.