Mary Ellen Hughes

A native Washingtonian, Mary Ellen (Kehoe) Hughes passed away March 22, 2021 surrounded by loved ones in her Fairfax County home after a years-long battle with cancer. She was 63. She was born July 30, 1957 in Washington, DC to Dr. James and Rita Kehoe.

She's preceded in death by her parents and by brothers Dennis Kehoe and Andrew Kehoe. Mary Ellen is survived by her husband, Richard Hughes; three children, Megan Hughes, Daniel Hughes and Conor Hughes; a brother Matthew Kehoe, and sisters Johanna Kehoe and Katie Kehoe; as well as a host of friends.

In 1975, she graduated from Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, where she made lifelong friends. She graduated from Georgetown University in 1979 with a degree in nursing. She received a master's degree in business administration from Marymount University. She began working as a nurse at Sibley Memorial Hospital in 1979. She remained at Sibley for more than 38 years, caring for patients and their families and mentoring countless nurses, before she retired in 2017. Over the course of her career, she forged enduring friendships with the nurses and doctors she worked with and became a respected leader in the hospital, known for standing firm for what was right. She treated all of her patients with great compassion and professionalism. She touched many lives and was known for her infectious laugh and keen sense of humor, which endured to the very end.

She was a devoted mother and wife who made a loving home that was open to anyone who needed it. She took great joy in spending time with her family, especially during the Holiday Season.

There will be a memorial gathering at 9:00a.m. April 8, 2021 at Our Lady of Victory Church located at 4835 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Washington, DC. A funeral mass will follow at 10:00a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be sent to the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.