Willamae Hughes

WILLAMAE WRIGHT HUGHES passed from her earthly home into God’s Heavenly Kingdom on Friday, October 20, 2006.Willamae was born on December 18, 1921 at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the third child of ten children born to the late Edward and Mae E. Milbourne Wright. Willamae Hughes attended People Christian Church at Bond and Jefferson Streets. When she became a young teenager, she was Baptized by the late Reverend C.E. Brown.She attended public Elementary School, Dunbar Junior High School, and graduated from Dunbar Senior High School in Baltimore City. She was a member of the Dunbar Senior High School Choir. After she graduated from Dunbar Senior High School she attended Carver Vocational Senior High School where she took up Cosmetology. At Carver Vocational Senior High School she joined the Basketball Team, Bowling Team, and was one of the cheerleaders of the Carver School Football Team. After she graduated, she passed the State Bar of Cosmetology. Willamae became a professional hairdresser at Annie Graves Beauty Parlor. She was well known for giving little girls, and young girls, a hairstyle which was known as “Shirley Temple Curls.” During World War II she worked at Edgewood Arsenal Defense Plant, and continued doing hair on weekends. After the war, she became engaged to the late Laurence W. Hughes, Sr., who had returned from World War II. They were married at Memorial Baptist Church by the late Reverend C. E. Brown on February 14, 1946. Preceding her death were her four brothers, Oscar, Edward, Lester, and Rudolph Wright; and, her sister Grace Green. Willamae was the mother of five children. Her oldest son, Lawrence W. Hughes, Jr. preceded her in death. She leaves to rejoice in her life and cherish her memory: her loving and devoted children, Senator Ralph M. Hughes, Sheila M. Hughes, Michael M. Hughes, and Patricia D. Hughes; two wonderful sisters, Mrs. Florence Moore and Mrs. Odessa Quickly; two wonderful brothers, Monroe and Eugene Wright. Willamae also leaves to rejoice in her life and cherish her memory: her grandchildren, Dominic, Leah, Michelle, Monyae, and Lawrence J. Hughes; great grandchildren, Diamond, Tariq, Kion, and Dominic Hughes; two daughters-in-law, Loretta and Mary Hughes; Godchildren, Rubin Brown Jr., Melanie Muldrow Kabia and Dasia Toliver; special daughter and niece, Rosemary Wright; two lovely and close nieces, Marie and LaVona McDonald; two wonderful nephews, Robert G. Wright and Michael Jeffries. She is also survived by: two devoted cousins, Allen Crews, and Van Johnson; great-nieces, Loretta and Gloria Watkins and family of New York City; a really wonderful bestfriend, Patricia Muldrow; a brother-in-law, Paul Moore; a sister-in-law, Lucille Wright; and a host of other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Tributes

Willamae Hughes

December 18, 1921 - October 20, 2006