Services will be held at our chapel on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. Visitation 6:00 p.m. with a Memorial Service celebrating her life commencing at 7:00 p.m. Georgia passed away peacefully at her home in Kansas City, MO, at the age of 89.
Born on January 26, 1934 to Clara Cox and David Kelley in Kansas City, MO where also her brother David was born. David and Georgia shared lots of hardships together. At a very young age they were placed in an orphanage. Georgia often talked about memories with her grandmother who took them from the orphanage and helped raise them. Her parents divorced and later her mother remarried John Hoy in 1946. Her mother and John had two more children, John and Alvin, to join the family. They moved from the city to a small farm house on Tiffany Springs Road, where there was no running water or bathrooms, they relied on an out house, and attended a 1 room school with 8 grades, quite the change from today’s schools.
Georgia married Francis Lewis Hughes on August 6, 1950 at the age of 16. Frank and Georgia had 5 children, Bill, David, Mark, John and Eric. In 1951 they borrowed $5,000 from Frank’s employer and built a small house on his parent’s farm, where she lived until moving to the Parkville area in 1973 and later purchasing her Kansas City home in 1985, where she lived until weeks before her passing.
The Kansas City home was always filled with love, warmth, healing and comfort where Georgia helped raise several grandchildren and great grandchildren, cared for her mother until her passing in 1991, and in 2003 she married the love of her life, Lawrence O’Day and cared for him till his passing. Georgia loved her family.
In 1965-1970 Georgia drove a school bus for Harmon Bus Company in Platte City. By 1969 she was working three part time jobs to provide for her 3 sons who were still at home. She built a career working in the food and beverage industry with The Continental Hotel where she became the first female food and beverage manager in Kansas City. She went to work at The Phillips House, The President, The Ramada, Howard Johnson and finished her career working for Myron Green for 20 years. Georgia was also a tireless and selfless volunteer. In all her endeavors, she strived to be the best she could be both in work and her personal life.
Through the years Georgia was active in several Masonic affiliated organizations where she will be sorely missed. She belonged to the Order of Eastern Star and was currently serving the station of Ruth in both Barry Chapter #369 and Golden Gate Chapter #58. Georgia has served as Worthy Matron numerous times, Grand Representative of Massachusetts in MO and Distric Deputy Grand Matron. Georgia was also a member of Amaranth where she served as Royal Matron of Adah Court #1 and she was a member of Nazarene White Shrine #2 where she served as Worthy High Priestess. Her work was instrumental in raising charitable donations for Alzheimer’s disease research, juvenile diabetes research, and juvenile asthma research.
Georgia is preceded in death by her parents, brother John Hoy (2021); sons Mark Hughes (1954) and David Hughes (2021); and her husband Lawrence (2004). She is survived by brothers David (Patricia) Kelley of Sedalia, MO; Alvin Hoy of CA; sons William (Marilyn) Hughes of Excelsior Springs, MO; John (Pamela) Hughes of Collierville, TN; Eric Hughes of Phoenix, AZ, five grandchildren Joanna McDaniel, Nick Hughes, Paige Cassaday, Tim Hughes, and Megan Moppin, and 15 great grandchildren.
On August 18, 2023, Georgia passed peacefully in her home with her loving family by her side. She was known affectionately as Grandma to all of the lives she touched. Georgia had a warm spirit and a heart of gold. Though she will be greatly missed, we are comforted knowing that she is reunited with the loved ones that passed before her.
The words of wisdom that Georgia would leave us all with: “This too shall pass”
Condolence
My deepest sympathies to you and your family.
What an amazing woman! So very sorry for your loss
Hugs and prayers to all her family.
Another Angel is in heaven, Georgia and David are walking hand in hand
Bill, John and Eric.
Nothing but fond memories of you all and your Mom. Always treated me like her own kid. Praying for you all.