Bernadette Mary Hughes

HUGHES – Bernadette, nee Rice, 75, of Pocono Pines, PA passed away surrounded by her loving family on February 21, 2020 at a New York City hospital. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland to the late Mary and James Rice. Bernadette is survived by her adoring husband, Thomas; her proud children, Tom and his wife, Stacy; Brian and his wife, Megan; Dan and his wife, Melissa; and Colleen and her husband, Jamieson. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren: Christopher, TJ, Brendan, Timothy, Jillian, Thomas, Faith, Teagan, Madeleine, Declan, Sloane, Tiernan, and Kayleen. In addition, her surviving siblings include Lt. Col. Dan Rice and his wife, Shirley; Ann Friar and her husband, Alan; and Angela McGovern and her husband, John; as well as many nieces and nephews who deeply adored her.

In addition to her parents, Bernadette was predeceased by her siblings Maureen, Patrick, Monica, Margaret, Alice, and Jim; siblings-in-law, John McCadden and George Stillie; and her granddaughter, Kayla Michele Hughes.

In her late teens, Bernadette left home, spending two years in Germany before moving to the US, where she met her husband Tom; they married in 1967. Bernadette accumulated many beautiful friendships through her life’s journeys, having lived briefly in Killeen, TX; Greenwich, CT; West Palm Beach, FL; Dublin, Ireland; and ultimately Pomona, NY, where she raised her four children before retiring to the Poconos in 2015.

Bernadette was fiercely devoted to family. In the eighties and nineties, she used her Glasgow grit to navigate the bustling streets of Manhattan in order to manage her children’s young talent in the advertising industry. Bernadette loved to sew, decorate, shop, and travel. She cherished her visits with family, whether in the States or “back home”. She kept her home filled with love, music, and photos of all the families and grandchildren, capturing her special relationship with each and every one of them.

Bernadette was deeply devoted to faith and community. She served as a Eucharistic minister and faith formation educator at St. Boniface RC Church, Rockland County, NY, where she was a loyal parishioner for 35 years. In recent years, Bernadette served as a parishioner at St. Maximilian Kolbe RC Church in Pocono Pines and as an active member of the Pocono Lions Club.

Bernadette touched everyone lucky enough to meet her with her contagious smile and friendly spirit, and will be deeply missed by all.

Viewings will be held at Wanamaker and Carlough Funeral Home at 177 Route 59, Suffern, NY on Wed., Feb. 26th from 4:00 P.M.- 6:00P.M. and 7:00P.M.-9:00P.M. and on Thurs., Feb. 27th from 5:00P.M.-8:00P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at Church of the Presentation, located at 271 W Saddle River Rd, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458 on Friday, Feb. 28th, 2020 at 11:00A.M.. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Bernadette Hughes to the Pocono Lions Club, P.O. Box 899, Pocono Pines, PA 18350 http://poconolions.org/ or The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, PO Box 98018, Washington DC 20090-8018.