Mary Brabender Hughes
October 29, 1946 -
March 6, 2022
Our beautiful wife and mother Mary A. Brabender Hughes, age 75, went to God surrounded by love on Sunday, March 6, 2022, at her residence in Kenosha after a valiant fight with cancer.
Born on October 29, 1946, in Mishicot, WI, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Lucille (Strouf) Raisleger. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from St. Norbert College and her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago.
On July 4, 1986, Mary was united in marriage to John K. Hughes, a wonderful day for them both and the beginning of 35 years of joyous partnership.
For 30 years, Mary was a Social Worker in the Special Education Department with Kenosha Unified School District, retiring in 2006.
She cared for the environment, was an advocate for the Great Lakes, a member of the Sierra Club and a supporter of Women’s and Children’s Horizon. She was very artistic, enjoyed reading and calligraphy and loved tending to her beautiful garden. She was passionate about current events and held strong opinions. Mary was particularly drawn to the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh and the poetry of Mary Oliver. To always cultivate practices of mindfulness, kindness and generosity was one of her guiding principles. She made everyone she encountered feel seen and special. Mary loved to travel. Some of her favorite journeys were with her family to France and to Prague. She enjoyed the Grand Canyon, and Sanibel Island, FL, and especially her annual summer visit to Door County. Above all, Mary cherished her deep bond with the light of her life, her treasured and beloved daughter Amy.
Left with her wonderful memory are her husband, John; her daughter, Amy; her siblings, Ronald (Mary) Raisleger, Anne (Ken) Basken, John (Tammy) Raisleger, Paul (Julie) Raisleger, and her many nieces and nephews and their families.
Service Info
Funeral services honoring Mary’s life will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2022. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 7400 39th Ave. The service may be viewed via livestream on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. on the following link facebook.com/PiaseckiFuneralHome/live/. You do not need Facebook to watch.
A gathering of relatives and friends for Mary will be held on Thursday, March 17, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the Mass at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances made to Women’s and Children’s Horizons www.wchkenosha.org, or to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross www.gbfranciscans.org would be appreciated.
Posted by:
Andréa & NealOur hearts are breaking . . . Mary was - and always will be - so dear to us. Our condolences to John, Amy and the family.
Posted by:
Kathleen Marie NeururerMary was such a delight in the time we spent working together many years ago. She always cared so much about students and others she spent time with. Condolences to the family.
Posted by:
Dan RaislegerMaureen and I would like to extend our condolences. Mary was always such a sweetheart to talk with. She herself was also very interesting to listen to. Though some of us Raisleger’s came along later in life it was always nice to see Mary’s smiling face when we did get together for our family reunions. We all now have another angel looking over us. Dan Raisleger
Posted by:
Ryan NoahDeepest sympathies to John, Amy, and family.
Posted by:
Charlie CamosyWhat a beautiful memorial. Though with someone like Mary it is difficult for it to be anything else given the giant ray of light she was in the world. Maybe the most important thing that was said, at least for me, was that she made every single person she met feel seen and valued. What a lifetime of powerful gifts she gave to so many thousands of people, including me. God bless her and her family. -Charlie
Posted by:
JosephineHeaven brought back an angel as Mary will continue to live in our hearts and Mary's beauty, wonder, and kindness will continue to inspire the world!
Posted by:
Judith A LindemannDear Amy and John. I'm sorry to hear of Mary's death. I remember her as a very kind woman. May our Lord and His mother give you comfort. Jae Lindemann ( Aaron Sepanski's mother.
Posted by:
Sue OwenMy deepest sympathy to John, Amy and family on Mary’s passing. My years of sharing in your lives through her care at Froedtert Cardiology clinic, makes me very sad that she’s no longer with you. We spent many hours together over the years that I had the privilege to care for her, and we shared a lot during that time. There are some patients that just stand out and Mary was one of them. She was a valiant fighter, and always had John and Amy in her corner, along with her EP team, who were always supportive. I won’t forget her, and have asked my colleagues about her many times since I retired and left the practice. Love and Blessings to you and your family John. Sincerely, Sue.
