Mary Lou (née Dierks) Hughes April 24, 1933 – August 2, 2026

Mary Lou Hughes, 93, died peacefully at home on August 2, 2026.

Mary Lou was born April 24, 1933, in Clinton, Iowa, to Arnold and Marietta (née Bienlein) Dierks. After graduating from Rock Island High School in 1949, she worked as Service Representative for Bell Telephone in Moline, Illinois. In May 1954, she married Edward L. Hughes. Together, they had five sons: Mark (Monica), Denver, Colorado; David, DeKalb, Illinois; Todd (Peggy), Clermont, Florida; Jon (Staci), Chandler, Arizona; and Ted, Vietnam. She leaves seven grandchildren and one great-grandson. Her husband, Edward, and her two sisters, Arnetta and Carol, preceded her in death.

Mary Lou was a woman with enormous curiosity and enthusiasm. She enjoyed her adventures bicycling across Iowa many times on RAGBRAI and across nine other states. She hiked the Grand Canyon from rim to rim to rim, survived a blizzard while snowshoeing in the Sierra Nevada mountains, toured Europe - twice, slept in a capsule hotel in Japan, and sewed a full-size tipi on a treadle sewing machine. Many summers of car camping began when she bought a used tent and new camp stove. Three days later, she packed young children in a station wagon and set off on a 2,500-mile camping trip. She kept lists of birds, awaited the arrival of shooting stars at Afton Forest Preserve, and spent more hours than some of her children could endure in museums, campfire programs, and visitor centers. She served as Cub Scout den mother for the Elmhurst neighborhood kids. She remained calm in the face of mice in tents, blood, pit toilets, absurdly steep roads, and broken bones.

Her collection of action figures and Star Wars memorabilia, often found at garage and toy sales with Ed, impressed collectors and amused (and sometimes baffled) her family. Appropriately, she dressed as Wonder Woman for more than one Halloween. During a baseball game in Cedar Rapids, she (in the company of Mr. Shucks) appeared on the scoreboard successfully identifying baby pictures of Kernels players. She studied Shakespeare and Dante, square danced, sent birthday presents, was a docent at the Ellwood House, attended graduations and assemblies, played bridge (and sought out covered bridges), organized opera trips, took in Hair dressed as a hippie, admired Erma Bombeck, and listened to Wally Phillips and Kathy and Judy. On figure skates, she could perform a passable toe loop and Lutz.

Mary Lou was a devoted mother and grandmother. She made the best Halloween costumes for her young children. She clipped coupons to afford the first ski lessons for her children. She helped with homework (“Make sure you show your work,” even to grandchildren taking linear algebra and harmonic analysis), multiplication tables, resumes, and table manners (“Don’t eat with your mouth full!”). She dispensed life wisdom (“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything!“), as well as advice on personal relationships (“Don’t stand on your little sister!”). Her grandchildren anticipated Halloween packages of candy, decorations, and ridiculous Halloween jokes.

Mary Lou valued her neighbors and friends from coffee klatches and sangria parties in Elmhurst, the doctor’s office where she worked for many years, and those she met on bike rides, at the Kishwaukee YMCA, Farm Bureau trips, Tom Sparks Auto where she was a transporter, and Saint Mary’s church. She welcomed her sons’ friends as part of the family, and many came to regard her as a second mom.

She was proud of her historic home in DeKalb, where she hosted decades of multi-day holiday celebrations for friends and family. And she constantly informed the far-flung members of her family of the advantages and beauties of life (and the weather!) in “The Heartland” and DeKalb.

A funeral Mass will be held Friday, August 28, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Mary’s, 329 Pine Street, DeKalb, Illinois 60115.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Lou's honor to Saint Mary’s Catholic School, Guardian Angel Fund, supporting needy children.

To send an online condolence please visit: www.finchfuneralhomedekalb.com.

Arrangements were entrusted to Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.