Janet "Jan" Stone Hughes

Jan was born on February 8, 1949, in Corpus Christi, Texas, to Walter and Jean Stone. The family lived in Robstown, where Walter and Jean farmed and raised Jan and her two sisters. Blessed with a keen intellect, Jan graduated from Robstown High at the age of sixteen and moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas. During her freshman year, Jan lived in “B” Dorm, where she made many lifelong friends and pledged Chi Omega sorority. The most significant event of her freshman year, however, was meeting David Hughes, her husband of 42 years, at a freshman football game. Jan graduated from The University in 1969 with a B.A. in history. She and David married during spring break of their senior year, as David was starting law school at the University of Texas one week after graduation. After one year of law school and as a belated graduation present to themselves, Jan and David sold David’s car, flew to Europe, bought a Volkswagen Squareback, toured Europe that summer (living, literally, out of the car at times), and still had money left to ship the car home at the end of the summer. The newlyweds lived in Austin, with Jan working at the American National Bank and giving birth to daughter Denise, until David graduated from law school. In the category of “my, how times have changed,” Jan fondly recalled that, when David was awarded his J.D. from The University in 1971, Jan also received a “P.H.T.” certificate, for “Putting Husband Through.”

Jan and David moved to Houston in 1972, where they were blessed with the birth of daughters Sarah and Mary Clare before returning to Austin in 1976. Without question, Jan’s greatest joy was her family. She believed in setting high expectations for her daughters, while providing the right mix of academic, spiritual, social and cultural opportunities to allow each to reach her full potential. Her daughters would go on to earn graduate degrees in medicine, law and business, respectively. She was so proud of Denise, Sarah and Mary Clare, each of whom counted Jan as her closest friend, advisor, confidant and co-conspirator in all things fun. In recent years, Jan became Nan, a loving grandmother who did not miss the arrival of any of her seven grandchildren or the opportunity to share in their many adventures.

Jan had an insatiable curiosity and lifelong love of learning. She worked crosswords each morning at a dizzying pace, and had custom shelving installed on her side of the bed to hold an ever-changing collection of nightly reading. She was a beautiful woman, with impeccable taste in all things, and her personal sense of style, fashion and design were admired by many. She had no equal in the kitchen, and much to the delight of her many patrons, she constantly expanded her culinary range with new techniques or types of food.

One of Jan’s many talents was connecting to and building relationships with people from all walks of life. She used this talent to build a highly successful career in philanthropy and development for the benefit of numerous organizations throughout Texas. She was the first Director of Development at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School of Austin, a development professional at the University of Texas Department of Athletics and College of Engineering, and, after forming J Hughes Consulting, her work in recent years included large, multi-year capital campaigns for Trinity Episcopal School, St. James Episcopal Church and KIPP Austin Public Schools. As the mother of three daughters, she took special joy in raising awareness of and funds for women’s athletics, and she was particularly proud of the Red & Charline McCombs Field, the home of The University of Texas softball.

Jan was a tireless worker, blessed with an abundance of judgment. And thankfully, for the many organizations, groups and causes in Austin who were fortunate to count Jan as a member, volunteer or trusted advisor, perhaps Jan’s only flaw was her inability to say “no.” Jan was a former Chair of the Board of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and the Texas Book Festival, and served on numerous other community boards, including: Austin Community Foundation, Brackenridge Hospital Foundation, Hospice Austin, The Junior League of Austin, PAN Texas, St. David’s Episcopal Church Foundation, and the advisory boards for Trinity Center and KIPP Austin Public Schools. Jan was also on the inaugural committee for St. David’s Healthcare Foundation’s Toast of the Town and chaired the first Hospice Austin Designer Show House. In all things, Jan was a “doer,” but she moved with such effortless grace and humility that we are left to wonder how exactly she did so much in her short time with us.

Jan is preceded in death by her father, Walter Stone. She is survived by her mother, Jean Stone of Austin; her husband, David; her daughters and sons-in-law, Drs. Denise and Paul Laurienti of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Sarah and Thomas Queen of Austin, and Mary Clare and Jamie Matthews of Austin; seven grandchildren, Jillian and Hughes Laurienti, Campbell and Sally Queen, and Jackson, Maddie and Jonesie Matthews; two sisters, Cheryl Guerry of Marble Falls and Dana Stone of Corpus Christi; and one nephew, Jay Corder of Austin.

A celebration of Jan’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m., on Thursday, March 10, at St. David’s Episcopal Church. The family has been sustained during the last seven months by a multitude of friends and family members and is appreciative of the care provided by her doctors and the nurses and staffs of the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic and Unit at Methodist Hospital, San Antonio, Hospice Austin, Seton Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, and M.D. Anderson. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to KIPP Austin Public Schools (8509 FM 969, Building 513, Austin, Texas 78724); St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (1112 West 31st Street, Austin, Texas 78705); The Texas Book Festival (610 Brazos, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78701); Trinity Center (304 East 7th Street, Austin, Texas 78701); or a charity of the donor’s choice.