Brenda Lee Hughes

Brenda Lee Hughes 67, of Ottawa, Kansas left for the great beyond on July 6th in Casper, Wyoming.

Brenda was born in Ottawa, Kansas to Katherine Hughes (Clark) and Richard Hughes on January 28, 1958.

She was the youngest of five children. Her roots in Franklin County ran deep.

Brenda was a wild child, always marching to the beat of her own drum all the way to the end. She was a hippie, a gypsy and free spirit who loved to travel and loathed being stuck in one place, which is what made her job as an over the road truck driver a perfect fit.

Brenda was strong willed and self-reliant. Once she had made up her mind about something, that was the way it was going to be. She despised drama and wasn’t one for talking about her feelings. All these things are just some of the things I loved about her.

She went to beauty school during the 90’s but never pursued a career in it. During the 70’s, Brenda protested in front of the white house with other woman for woman’s rights. There was nothing she was afraid of.

During her career as a truck driver, she left several jobs to care for her older siblings when they were ailing and in their final days.

Brenda’s favorite music was free bird By Lynyrd Skynyrd and anything by Stevie Nicks. She loved Boulder, Colorado (the way it was in the 80’s-90’s) and considered Boulder one of her homes. She could often be found in Boulder’s coffee shops having tea with friends, listening to female poets and singers on the little stages. She loved palling around with her best friend and partner in crime Wendy Stedwell from Australia.

In her later years, Brenda devoted her time to her grandkids and nature. She loved crafting and making boho style jewelry and would include her grandkids in her crafting. She spent a good amount of time canning fresh food from the local farmer’s market, always reminding her family that homegrown was best. She was also very into Cherokee medicine and history.

Brenda was her children’s biggest cheerleader even when we became adults and started families of our own. Brenda cherished the time she spent with her two kids James (Jim) and Linda, and her daughter in law Casey.

Brenda during her final months had hospice staff baffled at how long she held on. But that was her, she wasn’t going anywhere until she was good and ready.

Brenda was an inspiration to her children. Her strength, free spirit and devotion to family was awe inspiring. She was preceded in death by both her grandparents Clark and Hughes along with both her parents, her sister Donna and her brother William (Ed, Eddie) Hughes. She is survived by her two kids James (Jim) Hess and Linda Stewart (Hughes), seven grandchildren Julianna, Clifford Jr, Russell and Tara Stewart along with Isabelle, Joseph (Joey) and Reagan Hess. She is also survived by two siblings Lewis Hughes and Janice Mullen (Hughes)

She is dearly missed

Brenda always said she didn’t want a funeral and we are respecting her wishes. Instead of flowers and such, she asked that everyone make a donation of their time to their local veteran’s organization, as both her brothers, son, father and grandfather served in the military.

I would like to send out a special thanks to my kids and my brother and sister in law, along with Virginia Allen, Myrtie Peterson, Betty Brubaker and Central Wyoming Hospice for their support in my mom's final months.