Pauline Hughes

Pauline L. Hughes, 96, of Davenport, Iowa, formerly of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 20, 2021 at the Davenport Lutheran Home.

A graveside service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 30th at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Sumner, Iowa.  A memorial service will be held at a later date.  Memorials may be directed to the William G. and Pauline L. Hughes Memorial Scholarship Fund at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, or to Windsor Heights Lutheran Church in Des Moines.  Chambers Funeral Home in Eldridge, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements.

Pauline was born on April 27, 1925 in Sumner, the daughter of Lester and Pearl (Hochberger) Lease.  She was raised by her mother and step-father, Paul Seehase.  She graduated from Sumner High School in 1942, and continued her education at Wartburg College.  On July 22, 1944 she was united in marriage to William G. Hughes in Victoria, Texas.  Pauline served as parish secretary at Windsor Heights Lutheran Church for over 25 years prior to her retirement in 1987.

Pauline was involved in many organizations that helped those in need.  She spent a number of years volunteering for the “Amanda the Panda” organization, an outreach for children diagnosed with cancer.  Soon after her husband Bill recovered from open heart surgery, she became a leader in the Des Moines chapter of “Mended Hearts” and later served as their president.  Pauline and her husband were lifelong members of Windsor Heights Lutheran Church.  She was actively involved in a senior group called “Elderberries.”  She also helped to establish a group called “Dinner Dames”, which was a fellowship of local widows.

Those left to honor her memory are her daughter, Teri (Bill) Wittkowski of Eldridge; two grandchildren, Anne Wittkowski of DeWitt, Iowa, Paul (Erin) Wittkowski of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; two great-granddaughters, Lauren and Nora; half-brother, Leon Lease; and numerous friends in the Des Moines area.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, William; and son, Tom.