Twila Hughes

Twila M. Hughes was born on September 11, 1934, to C. Hubert and Leila (Moyer) Riley in Seward, Nebraska. She died on September 30, 2026, in Parker, Colorado, at the age of 92 years and 19 days. When she was a toddler, her family moved to Pierce, Nebraska, where she grew up on the generational farm called The Riley Ranch. Twila enjoyed an idyllic childhood there, complete with a “Secret Path” and a blue wood cookstove to hook her belt loop on when coming in after winter chores to get warm. She was active in 4-H, showing cattle, barrel racing, and sewing. In the 1970s, she served as her daughters’ 4-H leader and was twice honored as Leader of the Year. Twila earned a BA in education from the University of Nebraska and taught high school home economics in Hartington, Nebraska. There, she met her future husband, Kenneth E. Hughes, son of Ralph and Mildred (Gewecke) Hughes of Geneva, Nebraska. Ken and Twila married on June 23, 1957, in Pierce. In 1958, they moved to Denver, Colorado, for job opportunities. They had three children—Lynn, Kurt, and Garr—and moved to Parker, Colorado, in 1969. She taught sewing through an adult education program in the 1960’s and renewed her teaching certificate and was a substitute teacher in Douglas and Elbert counties in the late 1970’s-early 1980’s. Twila was a devoted member of Parker United Methodist Church, participating in its many ministries and activities for 57 years. Other interests included sewing, quilting, knitting and reading.

Twila governed the family by the strictest rules of etiquette, Methodism, and practicality. In her mind, there was a proper and improper way to do just about everything, from table manners to speech to stitching, right down to the correct way to spread mayonnaise on a piece of sandwich bread.

Twila is survived by her three children, Lynn (Hughes) Strickland and her husband, Tom; Kurt Hughes and his wife, Angela (McCoy); and Garr Hughes and his wife, Tracy (Roche); seven grandchildren, Lee, Lacey, Riley, Sam, Hannah, Jack, and Cole; her great-grandchildren, Cedar, Ash, Case, Emmie, Olivia, Wyatt, Scottie, Billie, Murphy, Maverick, Navy, and Story; three sisters-in-law; two brothers-in-law; eighteen nieces; and eleven nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her parents-in-law; her sisters, Mary Riley and Claire R. Hallock; her twin brother, Tom Moyer Riley; eight brothers-in-law; eight sisters-in-law; and two nephews.

A Celebration of Twila's life will be help on October 10th, 2026 at 2:00PM at Parker United Methodist Church.

Please join the family for refreshments in the foyer immediately following the service.

Donations in Twila’s name may be made to the Pierce Historical Society Museum, P.O. Box 122, Pierce, NE 68767.

I cannot say, and will not say

That she is dead--she is just away!

With a cheery smile, and a wave

of the hand,

She has wandered into an unknown land,

And left us dreaming how very

fair

If needs must be, since she

lingers there,

And you, O you, who the wildest

yearn

For the old-time step and the

glad return—

Think of her faring on, as dear

in the love of there as the love

of here;

Think of her still as the same,

I say;

She is not dead—she is just away.

— James Whitcomb Riley