Linda Jane Hughes

Linda Jane Hughes was born in Fort Worth, Texas on September 23, 1941 to Robert and Thelma Smith. She passed away November 10, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. Linda’s family moved from Fort Worth, Texas to San Diego, California right after World War II. She grew up play acting in costumes made by her mother and dancing for school friends and neighbors. Her best friend and confidant was her cousin Judy Cannon. Going to school in Ocean Beach, she graduated from junior high school (9th grade) in June of 1956. One evening that summer, she and a girl-friend went to “Beach Days”, and annual event in Ocean Beach. There they met two boys; one of the boys and Linda's friend became “interested in each other”. That left Linda and the other boy to fend for themselves. The other boy was Richard “Dick” Cluck, an older boy (by two years), more about the name later. Dick lived in another suburb many miles away but they managed to get together whenever Dick came to the beach which was more and more frequent as time passed. Linda attended high school and Patricia Stevens Modeling Agency where she spent these years learning and modeling in shows and shops. Linda and Dick “went steady” for nearly three years. In the summer of 1958, Dick took a trip to Austin, Texas to visit his birth father. When Dick had to register for “the Draft”, and because he was never officially adopted, he reverted to his birth name “Hughes”. During this visit and after telling his father about Linda, his father wanted to meet her. Lo and behold, and somewhat shockingly, her parents agreed and Linda flew to Texas. When Linda and Dick returned to San Diego from Texas they decided to get married.

It was now 1959, and they chose Valentine’s Day for their wedding day. Her parents reluctantly, and after much pestering from the couple, agreed. The announcement met with a lot of giggling and counting on fingers by their friends. Linda and Dick were married in the “Little Chapel of the Roses” on February 14, 1959. Linda was still in high school, not graduating until June, 1959. She continued to model even after graduation and began a career in retail sales. Selling blueprint equipment and copy services.

Her first daughter, Sherri Lynn Hughes was born on June 13, 1963. So much for the giggling and finger counting. While raising Sherri, Linda became a full-time housewife. Her second daughter Deborah Jo “Brandy” Hughes was born on December 20, 1965. During this time, Linda was the classic mother and housewife; PTA, Brownies, etc. They traveled from Chicago to: Denver, San Francisco, San Diego, Hawaii, New York, all the Scandinavian Countries and Northern Europe. Linda continued to mentor and raise the girls. Dick changed careers in Chicago to become an IT contractor. Having changed careers, Linda, Dick and the girls relocated again, this time to Arlington, Texas.

As the girls grew and graduated from high school, Linda found herself with time on her hands. She and a friend began a kennel called “JaLin” and they raised and showed “Soft-Coated Wheaton Terriers” and “English Springer Spaniels”. Placing more than 10 Wheaton’s in the Champion category, showing the 3rd highest female Wheaton two years in a row, and took only the 2nd Wheaton male ever through to Obedience Champion. With Dick now in consulting, Linda was able to visit many places and traveled with Dick, Dick’s sister Linda and the cousin with whom she grew up, Judy Cannon. Linda’s travel has been wide and varied: Guatemala, China, San Francisco, Pensacola, Rochester MN, Napa Valley, Key West, Phoenix, Ireland, and United Kingdom. After Dick joined Pfizer, Linda’s travels continued with jaunts internationally to: the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, France, and Ireland. Domestically she traveled to: Philadelphia, Delaware, New York City, Connecticut, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco (and the surrounding area), Pensacola, Washington D. C., New Orleans, Denver, Florida (several cities), Sedona, London, Santa Fe, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas.

Those left to cherish Linda’s memory: husband, Dick; two daughters, Sherri (in Arlington) and Brandy (in Bradenton, FL); six grandchildren, Zachary, who once taught in Yamagata Japan, his wife Nagisa and their son, Tommy; Patrick; Sam and Max (twins) and Michael, in the Navy. Sarah, the only grand daughter; with her husband Justin with their sons: Kayden, Jacob and Ryder.