Obituary of Bertha Jean Marie Hughes

July 24, 1925 - January 26, 2019

Bertha Jean Marie Hughes.  Age 93 of Southgate.

Beloved wife of the late William Hughes.  Loving mother of Paul (Bonnie) Hughes, Calvin (Tammi) Hughes, Timothy (Jeanette) Hughes and Bryan (Maureen) Hughes.  Dear sister of Calvin Schotter. Also survived by 9 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

A Family Tribute to Bertha Jean Marie Hughes

Bertha Jean Marie Schotter (Bert) was born on July 24, 1925 at 10:20 PM at the Women’s Hospital and Infant Home in Detroit.  Her parents were Arthur and Bernice Schotter.  Our Mom spent her childhood primarily in Ecorse.  Even though she and her brother Calvin grew up during the depression, she spoke many times of not really knowing any significant hardships during her childhood.  She did tell us that she always knew when her father was not working because she and her brother would be allowed to go to the Municipal Building or “Muni” as she referred to it and get meals.

Mom attended Ecorse High School.  She met and started going with our Dad, William (Bill) Hughes while in the 10th grade.  Mom enjoyed High School especially the many clubs she was involved in (National Honor Society, Annual Staff, Glee Club, Mixed Chorus, Library Science and Bird Club, etc.).  She loved the Glee Club and Chorus, and always reminisced how much she loved to sing (I can recall as kids how she would wake us up with “You Are My Sunshine”).  One story about High School she always shared was how in order to graduate the girls had to type at least 50 words per minute.  One of her close friends couldn’t do it and wasn’t allowed to graduate.  Dad was a coxswain on the Ecorse Boat Club Crew Team.  Mom kept a detailed scrap book of the team’s accomplishments at all the regatta’s, especially St. Catherine’s in Ontario, Canada.  Mom graduated in 1943.

Mom loved the war years.  Continuing to date our Dad and the music of Glenn Miller and the other swing bands of the era were things she mentioned often.  The year 1944 was very special when she travelled to Fort Smith, Arkansas to visit my dad who was stationed there.  She always told us how her parents and my Dad’s parents had told them not to do anything foolish, like get married.  But, close friends of theirs kept telling them, “you don’t want Bill to go overseas and not be married.  Low and behold they were married on December 26, 1944, Dad at age 21 and Mom at 19.

They began their life together and Mom often told stories of their time together at the “Chase Apartments”.  In 1950, they bought their one and only home in Ecorse Township (later Southgate) in what would become “the greatest neighborhood in the world”, the “Birrell Street” neighborhood.  Originally, a dozen families were there and they all created a great place for us to grow up.  There were many “basement” and “backyard” parties, countless celebrations, and some sorrows.  Mom made lifelong friendships with all the neighbors and loved that neighborhood so much that she never left.

Mom was one of the first “working mothers”.  She worked for many years in personnel at Montgomery Ward and Gyran’s Glass in Southgate.  She went back to school at Wayne County Community College and received her associate degree in Accounting.  She then worked for many years until retirement at RCA in Taylor.

Mom and Dad loved to travel and had us camping from an early age.  They progressed from a tent, to a tent camper and finally a travel trailer.  They traveled to almost every place in Michigan and made a trip “out west” with the trailer in the summer of 1970.  They finally parked the trailer at the Four Season’s campground in Grass Lake and spent most every weekend in the spring, summer, and fall with their “camping” friends.  Later, she made many trips with the Southgate Seniors.   

Mom took care of everyone.  Our father (for nearly 50 years), her children, her mother, grandchildren, neighbors and friends.  Mom was disappointed her and Dad didn’t “make the 50-year anniversary”.  Nevertheless, they had a great life together and she often said in her later years how she missed Dad’s hugs and kisses.  She said she could hug us boys, daughters-in-law and grandkids, but it just wasn’t the same.  She remarked many times how she loved her “babies” (Paul, Calvin, Timothy and Bryan).  We knew it too.  She was a constant companion and cared for her mother Bernice until her death in 1998.  Mom loved playing with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  There were many tea parties, watching shows, and just a lot of fun.

Mom was a giver.  She contributed to many charities through the years (Salvation Army, St. Jude, St. Vincent DePaul) and always remarked how she wished she could give more.  She loved working at the Fast Foods booth at the St. Pius festival and made many friends there.  Finally, she loved the Hallmark store and buying cards.  She had a calendar book filled with birthdays and anniversaries of all the family members and friends.  She made sure to send cards for all those occasions.  She would spend hours reading cards to find just the right verse.

She will be missed and in all of our hearts forever.