Peggy Hughell passed away in the early hours of September 15, 2022, at the age of 96. She was preceded in death by her husband of 76 years, Edward Hughell, who died in March of 2022. Peggy was under the loving care of her granddaughter, Celia, and her husband, Enrique.
Peggy was born in Nyssa, Oregon. She graduated from Meridian High School in Idaho and graduated from Boise Jr. College in 1945. She enrolled in the Nursing Corps at the University of Oregon School of Nursing in Portland, but did not complete her courses in order to marry Edward Hughell in 1946 while he was a student at Oregon State University in Corvallis. Peggy joined a secretarial pool in this community until her firstborn, Jim, arrived.
Ed graduated from OSU Corvallis and moved the family to Portland so that Ed could attend the University of Oregon Medical School. When Jim was old enough, Peggy worked as the medical secretary for the U of O Pathology Department, taking advantage of the vocabulary she had learned in nursing school.
After Ed’s graduation, they moved to Fresno, CA, for Ed’s internship, followed by two years of surgery residency. Barbara and David were born in Fresno. After completing his residency, the family moved to Atascadero, where Ed had a private medical practice for 17 years. Celia and Mike were born during that time.
Peggy had fond memories of their summer 1973 European bicycle trip with Celia and Mike just before moving to Merced with Ed so that he could start a Family Practice residency program in Merced, CA. This was in connection with the University of California Medical School at Davis. Under Ed’s leadership, this program was successful and expanded. Sadly, Mike was lost during this time in a tragic automobile accident. Peggy reports that she and Ed clung to each other and to the rest of the family to recover from this tragedy.
Ed desired a new experience, and Peggy joined him in 1979 for a 3-year term of United Methodist Church mission service at Ganta Hospital in Liberia, West Africa. She remembers this as a challenging time, but it brought them even closer together.
On their return to the United States, Ed was given the opportunity to return to his old position as director of the residency program in Merced. Ed enjoyed returning to this work and later attempted to retire several times before moving to Cambria, CA, to build their “Dream Home” in 1997. They lived in Cambria for a dozen years before relocating in 2010 to Merrill Gardens retirement home in Santa Maria, CA. Peggy recalls this as a happy time when she and Ed were very much in love. In 2020 they moved to Rohnert Park to live with their granddaughter Celia and her husband, Enrique. It was a wonderful place to spend their last two years. Peggy missed Ed greatly after his death in March of this year. She stayed in Rohnert Park, enjoying frequent visits with her loving family until she followed Ed on September 15.
Peggy will be remembered for her outgoing and loving nature in all the communities where she lived. She was active in many aspects of the community, from church leadership to dancing, tennis, and civic organizations. She is survived by her children, Jim (Alice) Hughell of San Ramon, CA; Barbara (Paul) Rose of Atascadero, CA; David (Edith) Hughell of Turrialba, Costa Rica and Celia (Jeff) Schahczenski of Whitehall, MT; as well as ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on October 8 at 11 am at the Cambria Presbyterian church at 2250 Yorkshire Drive. Please RSVP to blrose52@outlook.com for the reception following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cambria Adult Resources Education & Support (2700 Eton Road; Cambria, CA 93428 ) or The Cambria Presbyterian Church (2250 Yorkshire Dr. Cambria, CA 93428)
