Elaine Hughes

May 24, 1924 - April 19, 2014

Elaine Talbott Hughes, age 89, passed away in Colorado Springs, Colorado on April 19, 2014. She was born in Charleston, Illinois on May 24, 1924 to Alvin Carlos Talbott and Opal Leona Smith. Both preceded her in death. She spent her childhood in the area of Charleston, attending elementary and middle schools there and High School at Teachers College High School at Eastern Illinois State Teacher's College. Elaine met her husband to be, Algin J. Hughes, while on a visit in 1940 to the United States Military Academy at West Point New York. She and her parents were visiting her brother, Carlos M. Talbott, who was also a cadet there and a classmate of Hughes. After knowing her for two days, Al proposed marriage at Old Revolutionary War Fort Putnam there on the reservation, and she accepted. After courting by mail for the next three years, plus Al stopping over in Illinois on two rail trips on leave to and from his home in Oklahoma, they were married at AI's Home in Tuttle, Oklahoma on March 13, 1943. Elaine was then a student at Eastern Illinois University and Al a new Second Lieutenant at the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

To their union were born four children, Julie, James, Charles (Steve) and Debra. Julie preceded Elaine;in death along with one grandson, Jon Zamecki. The other three children survive her, James (Sharon) of Lebanon, PA, Charles (Susan) of Wiesbaden, Germany and Debra Derrington of Colorado Springs along with seven grandchildren, Jeff Hartley of Sunnyvale, CA, Nathaniel Hartley of London, England, Morgan Bloeckel of Milwaukee, WI, Erin Heath also of Milwaukee, Connor Hughes of Bloomsburg, PA, Cassia Cogger of South Glastonbury, CT and Megan Espinoza of Pueblo, CO along with families and eleven great grandchildren. Elaine is also survived by her brother, Lieutenant General Carlos M. Talbott (USAF Retd.) of Williamsburg, VA. General Talbott was a well known World War II Fighter Pilot and much later Vice Commander In Chief of Pacific Air Forces.

Elaine was a "true blue" Army wife over nearly thirty years of active duty in the US and overseas with her husband Colonel Hughes, and forty years of his retirement. Hughes, a member of the Regular Army, had to continue to remain in Germany after his World War II combat from Normandy across France, Germany and into Austria, then being sent to Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany to open a ski school and recreational center for US World War II troops remaining in Europe after combat ended. Elaine and their first child Julie joined him there in 1946, being among the first US dependents overseas after the war. Julie was born while Al was in combat along the Siegfried Line and German border, and he did not see her until she was one and one half years old.

Over their nearly thirty years of active Army duty, her life was characterized by being a loving, faithful wife and mother of four wonderful children and also being an active and charitable citizen of the many communities where the family was stationed both in the US and overseas. At each post where they resided, she was a volunteer with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Ladies of the Chapel, Officers' Wives Clubs, Red Cross Hospital Volunteers, various charitable food and clothing drives, etc. In 1956 she was cited by the Commanding General of the First Cavalry Division in the Far East for her outstanding leadership and contributions to both the US and Japanese Girl Scout troops in Northern and Central Japan. Similarly, in 1970 at the time of her husband's retirement, she was cited by the Commander in Chief, US Army Forces Europe and Seventh Army for her continued and exceptional leadership and volunteer work with the American Red Cross in US military hospitals in Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Bamberg and Bad Canstatt, Germany. And her volunteer work continued for many additional years after their return to the States, working again with the Red Cross and with charitable institutions in communities in both Texas and Colorado where they lived, providing food and clothing to the needy. Her husband always thought that she was a living example of the “Biblical Wife” described in the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 31.

Elaine was unusually proud and devoted to her lifetime relationship with the US Military Academy at West Point where she met her husband and where they later resided when he was

Commander of the Second Regiment of Cadets and later Deputy Commandant of Cadets. Throughout her life she truly exemplified the West Point motto of Duty, Honor and Country. She had a husband, a brother, a son and a grandson who graduated from West Point, and a grandson who graduated from the US Air Force Academy.

After retiring from the Army, she and her husband resided in Texas and Colorado, building two new homes in both states. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, a member of PEO Chapter JB in the Springs, also several other PEO Chapters where they resided.

Cremation, Ashes to be returned to the Army Cemetery at West Point at a later date.

In lieu of flowers donations to Pikes Peak Hospice.

A Viewing will be held Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at 10:00 am at Swan Law Funeral Directors with the Funeral to follow at 11:00am.