Ginger Hughes

Ginger’s legacy is as a loving and devoted mother to Cameron and Charlotte, a creative and passionate plant and animal enthusiast, and a treasured friend and family member. As a child, Ginger was bright, curious, and shy, with a fantastically silly sense of humor and a love of the outdoors. She was a gifted student who graduated from Clarkstown South High School in 1996 and took courses at Rockland Community College and LaGuardia Community College. Both her playfulness and her intelligence were evident in her life as a mother. She delighted in her children’s interests: working on cars with Cameron; playing dress-up with Charlotte; and exploring the outdoors, where she taught them both to notice and appreciate the details of the natural world.

A licensed real estate salesperson, Ginger was especially proud that her real estate photography was featured in the New York Times. She also took great joy in her certification as a Master Gardener Volunteer at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland, where she shared her deep knowledge of and passion for native, pollinator-friendly plants. She traveled across the region to collect interesting varieties of hard-to-find native plants, and she collected and shared seeds to encourage people to grow pollinator-friendly gardens. Her compassion for animals was another defining part of who she was. She cherished many beloved pets over the years and carried that same devotion into her work as a trained veterinary technician and licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Ginger is predeceased by her father Brendt Altneu, paternal grandparents William Altneu and Sophie (Aloff) Altneu, and maternal grandparents Jean Olson Dillon and Wallace Myron Dillon, Jr. She is survived by her husband John Hughes, children Cameron and Charlotte, mother Barbara (Dillon) Sofen, stepfather Harvey W. Sofen, in-laws Michael and Ann Hughes, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 12:00 PM at Hellman Memorial Chapels, 15 State Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977. Interment will follow at Cedar Park Cemetery, 735 Forest Ave, Paramus, NJ 07652

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Hellman Memorial Chapels, 15 State Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977 (845) 356-8600 Jewish Funeral Directors.

Shiva will be held privately. The family is grateful for the outpouring of love and support.