Minerva Hughes

June 28, 1930–June 3, 2021

 

Minerva Fairchild Hughes, of Ironton, loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died Thursday, June 3, 2021, following a long illness.

She was 90.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Kenneth “Kenny” Hughes, in 2017.

“Minnie,” or “Mary Lou,” or “Nana,” as she was known to her many friends and family members, was a retired dental assistant in the office of her brother, Dr. Kenneth Fairchild, on S. Sixth Street in Ironton.

More importantly, she was the glue that held together multiple generations of a large extended family.

Year after year, the Hughes home on N. Second Street was the go-to gathering place for far flung relatives at major holidays, especially Memorial Day.

Minerva Louise Fairchild Hughes was born June 28, 1930, in Hanging Rock, one of 10 children of William “Diddle” Fairchild and Mabel Stark Fairchild.

Minerva and Kenny met at Hanging Rock School and married in June 1948, a few days before her 18th birthday. They had two children, Susan Hughes Wolfe (Charles), of Frankfort, Kentucky, and Stark Hughes (Mary), of Columbus.

The pride of Minerva’s life were her grandchildren, all of whom survive: Zachary Hughes Wolfe (Kara), of Manchester, Maryland; Thomas Wolfe (Jessica), of Frankfort, Kentucky; Laura Conover (Ian), of Columbus; Ellen Hughes, of Minneapolis, and Matt Hughes, of Columbus.

She also lived to see two great-grandchildren, Harvey Wolfe and Lenora Mae Wolfe, of Manchester, Maryland.

Minerva outlived all her siblings, save one, a brother, Paul Fairchild, of Ironton.

Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents, were brothers, Billy Fairchild, Glen Fairchild, Dr. Kenneth Fairchild and Dencil “Polly” Fairchild, along with sisters Kathleen Goodner, Reba Jean Tordiff, Susie Carr, and an infant, Maxine Fairchild.

Other survivors include a sister-in-law, Phyllis Fairchild, of Ironton, along with a multitude of nieces and nephews, and two faithful and much-loved neighbors, Mel and Sally Wood, of Ironton.

Minerva and Kenny were longtime members of First Baptist Church, Ironton, and in their latter years attended First United Methodist Church.

They also had moved into assisted-living at Close to Home III, on Center Street in Ironton.

A private graveside service will be scheduled at Woodland Cemetery at the convenience of the family.

Phillips Funeral Home, 1004 S. Seventh St., Ironton, will be assisting the family with the services.

The family wishes to express its sincere appreciation to Hospice Care Center and Close to Home III for their compassionate care.

To offer the family condolences, please visit:  www.phillipsfuneralhome.net.