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Celebrating the life of Madeline DuRant Hughes
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Obituary for Madeline DuRant Hughes
A Celebration of her life will occur
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
MADELINE DuRANT HUGHES
Viewing: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
New Covenant Church 7500 Germantown Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19119
Homegoing Service to follow at 11:00 a.m.
Interment to conclude at Fernwood Cemetery Fernwood, PA 19050
LIFE STORY
Madeline Aletha DuRant Hughes,
the only child of Walter and Lucille DuRant, was born November 6, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was educated in the Philadelphia Public School System, graduating from the John Bartram High School. She attended the Franklin School of Science and Arts, graduating as a technical medical secretary. After graduation, she was employed at Jefferson Medical Center, where she worked in the Radiology Department, the School of Practical Nursing and the Stein Research Center. She was employed by the School District of Philadelphia for 23 years at the Samson Freeman School of Humanities and retired from the S.W. Pennypacker School in 2006. In 1966, she married Donald E. Hughes, and from this union were four children—Donald Matthew, Kelly Lynn, Timothy Earl and Amanda Rochelle. She was Sweetie to her four grandchildren—Lauren Elizabeth, Donovan Moses, Sloane Madeline and Christian Brandon. She loved music and was a piano and voice student at the Settlement Music School for many years. Madeline said she was born in church, but her salvation became a reality at the age of 31 years old. While singing a solo, “From Sinking Sand He Lifted Me,” she saw Jesus being nailed to the cross for HER sins and HE became REAL at which point she received the gift of His grace, mercy, and love. Madeline was a faithful member of Mother Bethel AME church until her marriage when she joined the fellowship of Janes United Methodist Church. In 1981, she heard the preaching of Horace Sheppard, Sr., and joined West Oak Lane Church of God where she served as Youth Ministry Staff, Music Ministry and Senior Bible Study Leader. In 2013, she was consecrated an Elder of Bethesda Christian Fellowship. Left to cherish her memory: her loving husband Donald; her children: son Donald Hughes and his wife Ingrid, daughter Kelly Hughes-Reid and her husband Brian, son Timothy Hughes and his wife Tenikka, daughter Amanda Philmore and husband Khary, and cousin Angela Mosley and her husband Kevin; her grandchildren who she called the most brilliant children in the world—Lauren, Donovan, Sloane and Christian; her sister, Ann Cross; her aunts Harrilese DuRant Miles, Alice Tucker; her uncle Philip Shivers, and cousins—Roman Spikes and Darryl Irwin. Madeline had a special place for all of the young women she called her Children of the Heart, especially Berlinda Garnett and Brenda Clacks. Special people in her life--her Sisters of the Heart and Spirit, whom she called a gift from God—Linda Cavanaugh, Helen Summers, and Nora Williams; her “girls”—Erma Ward Walker, Arianna Suber, Christine Rembert and Julia Taylor; her ladies from the Bethesda Christian Fellowship Senior Bible Study Group, and a host of cousins, other relatives, and friends.
