Claire Alma (Strang) Hughes, age 93, died on December 26, 2019, in Lawrence, Kansas. She was born in Duluth, Minnesota, the second of four children. Claire had a love of music at an early age, playing the violin and piano.
A graduate of Duluth Central High, Claire was fascinated by stories of microbe hunters and she focused her college studies on bacteriology and microbiology. After obtaining her degree from Antioch College in Ohio, a fellowship with Purdue University led to a masters’ degree in microbiology in 1950. While at Purdue, Claire met her husband, Charles A. Hughes, a World War II Air Force veteran and aerospace engineering student from Evansville, Indiana. They married in September 1950 and resided in Brownsburg, Indiana, until 1958, relocating to Overland Park, Kansas. Claire later attended the University of Kansas to obtain a degree in Medical Technology and worked many years in Kansas City and Wichita.
Claire and Charles enjoyed outdoor activities and many retirement years together at a home they built on Truman Lake. Claire was preceded in death by Charles, her loving husband of 48 years. In 2006 Claire relocated to Lake of the Ozarks, finding great happiness and making many dear friends. A major illness led to a move to an assisted living facility located in Lawrence, Kansas.
Claire is survived by two sons, Charles and his wife Moira (deceased) of Thousand Oaks, California and Paul and his wife Pam of Shell Knob, Missouri; four daughters, Alma Heckler and her husband Robert of Lecompton, Kansas, Emelia Kelley and her husband Joe of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Cynthia Hughes-Coons and her husband Dean of Camdenton, Missouri, and Valerie Lawless and her husband Patrick of Raytown, Missouri; thirteen grandchildren and nine great- grandchildren.
A visitation was held in Lawrence, Kansas. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 11, 2020 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 176 Marian Drive, Laurie, Missouri. Burial will follow at the historic St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.kidwellgarber.com. Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Kidwell-Garber.