Mardee Joann Hughes

Mardee JoAnn Zabokrtsky Hughes died June 21, 2014 at Gardenside Long Term Care Center in Fairbury, Nebraska after a short illness.
She was born July 10, 1936 at Enosdale in Washington County, Kansas to Louis and Ruby Kuhl Zabokrtsky. She attended Diamond Center, Plainview and Liberty rural schools in Washington County before the family moved to a farm northeast of Steele City, Nebraska in December of 1948.

At that time she was a 4-H member with projects in dairy calf, sewing and cooking. In 1948 her dairy calf placed high enough at the Washington County Fair and she and her calf went on to the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Mardee graduated from Steele City High School in 1954 where she was a cheerleader and member of the student council, volleyball team and softball team. She attended Fairbury Junior College.

At this time she met and married Edwin L. Hughes on December 4, 1954 in Washington, Kansas. Mardee and Edwin were the parents of Larry Lee, Todd Alan and Ryan Lynn Hughes. The family enjoyed their time with horses by attending trail rides, wagon train rides and horse shows. She and Ed devoted time to 4-H Horse Club activities.
During these years Mardee worked in various business establishments in Fairbury and with Ed in Ed’s Body Shop. In later years she also worked at Swingster’s garment factory and as a cashier at the Sale Barn Café.

She is survived by her sons Larry L. Hughes and Todd A. (Cheryl) Hughes; grandchildren Heather (Allan) Schmale, Jacob Hughes, Emily (Jeremy) Rippe, Lacey Turner and Taylor Hughes and Fiancé Tiffany Ward; great-grandchildren Kody Schmale, Chancie Turner and Corbin Turner.

She is also survived by her siblings Bill (Jackie) Zabokrtsky of Burlington, KS., Mitch Zabokrtsky of Fairbury, Judy Baldwin of Fairbury, Ted Zabokrtsky of Fairbury, Joleen (Terry) Grammer of Fairbury, Butch (Pat) Zabokrtsky of Wynnewood, OK., Ronda (Bill) Dickson of Clyde, KS., Steve (Christine) Zabokrtsky of Endicott, NE., Jack (Becky) Zabokrtsky of Fairbury, Cindy (Larry) Sawin of Washington, KS., Jerry Zabokrtsky of Steele City, NE., and Doug (Sandy) Zabokrtsky of Endicott, NE.

Mardee was preceded in death by her parents Louis and Ruby Zabokrtsky, brothers, Larry Kent Zabokrtsky and Jeffrey Zabokrtsky, husband Edwin L. Hughes, son Ryan Lynn Hughes and daughter-in-law Becky Rochek Hughes.

Services will be Wednesday, June 25th at 10:30 a.m. at the Gerdes-Meyer Chapel in Fairbury, Nebraska with Lana Likens officiating. The family will greet friends Tuesday evening from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at the Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Steele City Cemetery. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home in Fairbury is in charge of the arrangements.