LEWISTON – Helen May Hughes, 80, passed away on July 25, 2019 at CMMC.

She was born on April 3, 1939, the youngest of nine children born to Beatrice and Francis Hinckley in Pittston, Maine. Helen attended primary school in Pittston, and then attended Gardiner High School. Mom liked recalling those years and had favorite stories she liked to tell about growing up on her family’s farm, which had been in her family for several generations.

In 1960, she married Arthur C. Hughes of Lewiston. They had three children, Susan (Gary) Rollock of Buckfield, Nancy Spencer and partner, Roger Faucher, and Laurie (Larry) Chouinard, all of Lewiston.

A family tradition mom loved was Christmas Eve with all the family, with a buffet supper, where mom’s potato salad was a favorite of many in the family. She also loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Helen and Arthur spent their retired years travelling. They enjoyed taking senior bus tours, and made a lot of friends along the way. Helen also took long walks with her husband and daughter, Sue.

Helen loved gardening and she certainly had a green thumb. She transplanted flowers from her sister’s garden, and shopped at many different nurseries looking for just the right plants. The results were spectacular, and her flower gardens are arguably the best on Winding Way.

She also loved playing games of all kinds. She spent many nights playing Scrabble and Cribbage with her husband and sister, Lois.

Helen worked for over 30 years for the State of Maine, working first in Augusta for the Department of Education, and then transferring to Lewiston to work for Veterans Affairs. She had a strong work ethic, and worked a full-time job while raising three children. She also taught her daughters that same ethic.

She was a very caring, quiet, humble person. She will be sadly missed by her family, friends, and neighbors.

Besides her husband and three daughters, Helen leaves behind her grandchildren, Justin Spencer, Lea Chouinard and her partner Cody Coburn, grandson, Logan Chouinard, great-grandson, Kyle Walters, great-grandson, Corbin Coburn, great-granddaughter Layna Coburn, and her last surviving sibling, Virginia Gero. She also had two nieces she was very close to, Ramona Gould of Minot, and Cheryl King of West Gardiner.

She was predeceased by an infant granddaughter; four brothers, Francis Jr., Keith, Donald, and Edward; and three sisters, Beverly Marsh, Lois Hinckley, and Cora Oakes.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, August 1, 2019, at Gracelawn Memorial Park at 11 a.m.

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