Patricia Hughes

With deep sorrow, the family of Patricia Ann Fletcher Hughes announces the passing of our dearly beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, and friend, who transitioned from mortality to immortality on September 9, 2025. Patricia, fondly known as Pat, was born in Knoxville, TN, on February 2, 1952, the second of three children blessed to Godfrey and Virginia Leonard Fletcher.

Pat entered into holy matrimony with James H. Hughes Jr., with whom she shared 46 years of loving partnership. Together, they were blessed with a son, James H. Hughes III “Jimmy J.”, and their family continued to grow in love and devotion.

Pat received Christ at an early age and was a faithful member of Payne Avenue Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN, where she served as a junior usher. During her college years, she attended Lee Chapel AME Church, worshiping alongside her extended family, Eddie, Lillian, and Gwendolyn Hill. After marrying Sonny, she joined Saint Phillips AME Church with her husband, cherishing the fellowship and prayers of her church community, which sustained her through life’s journey.

Growing up in East Knoxville, Pat was a proud product of the Knoxville Public School system. She graduated in 1970 from Consolidated Austin East High School, achieving honors in the top 10% of her class. Awarded an academic scholarship, Pat attended Tennessee State University, where she pursued her passion for education, majoring in elementary education. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree and later a Master’s degree in guidance and counseling, followed by professional certifications in administration, supervision, and Tennessee’s Career Ladder 3 certification.

Pat’s career as an educator in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools system spanned 34 years. As a classroom instructor at Glenn Garry Elementary School, she taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades for 15 years, earning the distinguished honor of Teacher of the Year. For the remaining 19 years, Pat served as a school counselor at Lakeview, Mount View, and Ross Elementary Schools. In both roles, she nurtured and imparted essential skills, helping thousands of children build character, confidence, and a love for learning. Her dedication empowered students to become productive, engaged citizens and inspired lifelong learning and positivity throughout the school community.

Pat’s professional affiliations included the National Education Association, Tennessee Education Association, Metropolitan Nashville Education Association, and the Peabody Vanderbilt chapter of Phi Delta Kappa National Sorority. Beyond her career, Pat relished traveling, reading, and listening to music. She enjoyed researching her Chromebook, solving word search puzzles, and gardening—especially watching her flowers bloom and admiring the morning glories in summer. Social gatherings brought her joy, including outings with Sonny’s Mason brothers, Eastern Star, AARP meetings, and cherished get-togethers with family and friends.

Pat leaves behind a loving legacy and a family who will forever cherish her memory: her husband, James H. Hughes Jr.; her mother, Virginia Leonard Fletcher; her sister, Louvenia Young; her son, James H. Hughes III; her grandson, Marcus A. Hughes; her granddaughters, Denali Hughes, Seairra Hughes, Mykah Hughes, and Ryann Hughes; great-great-granddaughter, Araeya,  her brother-in-law, Theodore Hughes; her sisters-in-love, Gwendolyn Hill, Jacqueline Okwudili; her sister-in-law, Dereada Hughes; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her father, Godfrey Fletcher Sr.; her niece, Shamona Young; her brother, Godfrey Fletcher Jr.;.

Patricia Ann Fletcher Hughes’s life was a testament to faith, love, and service. Her legacy endures in the hearts of all who knew her.