Febbie Ann Hughes

March 8, 1938 - October 11, 2019

Febbie Ann Mullins was born on March 8, 1938 in Kona, KY to Corbett Mullins & Callie Newsome Mullins, who preceded her in death. Febbie peacefully slipped into Eternity on October 11, 2019 Febbie had 3 older siblings, Corbett Jr., Lillian & Danola who preceded her in death and has 1 Sister, Brenda Saylor who lives in TN. Febbie Ann married Billie Gene Hughes on December 11, 1959. He preceded her in death in 2000. Febbie leaves to mourn her passing: Two biological daughters, Teresa Ann Frith (Emerson) of Chicago, IL & Deborah K. Hughes of Pulaski, TN. Febbie also leaves to mourn her adopted daughter, Brandy Lee Pratt of Chicago, IL Febbie leaves to mourn 5 Grandchildren, LaWanda Denise Cooper (James) of Loves Park, IL., LaKeisha Denise Jacob (Michael) of Lyons, IL., Angel Francisco Ruiz of Pulaski, TN., Leesa Nicole Pratt of Chicago, IL & Brandon Pratt of Iraq. 10 great-grandchildren- Amanda Denise Smith, Ashley Denise Smith (preceded her in death), DaVonna Cook-Bey, Jada Denise Cooper, James Ryan David Cooper, Jazmyn Denise Cooper, Jordyn Denise Cooper, Aiden Ruiz, Zachary Daniel James Jacob and Milee Rose Black. Also left to mourn are a host of Nieces, Nephews, friends & family. Febbie spent the past two years at Symphony of Evanston on the Memory Care floor after being diagnosed with early on set dementia and Alzheimer’s. She had many people there who cared for and watched over her like family, but especially Barbara Tillett, Sonji Allen & Michael Jefferson. When Febbie was born she had serious birth defects. Most babies born back then with that type of defect soon died. The doctors told her parents to take her home, make her comfortable and wait for her to die, they did not offer much hope. Well they waited and waited, but Febbie was a feisty little girl, she wasn’t giving up that easy. At that time, her defects were so severe the doctors didn’t know how to correct them. At age 10, the doctors finally performed surgeries to put the organs inside her, but did a crude job and connected her ureters to her large intestine because she did not have a bladder. According to the doctors she wasn’t going to live past puberty. Febbie had many surgeries during her young life and spent a lot of time in a children’s hospital far away from her parents and siblings. Febbie had very little formal schooling because of her health conditions. Despite the doctor’s gloom and doom prediction she got through puberty just fine. Then the doctors told her parents she would be an “old maid” because she could not bear children and back then most men would not marry a “barren woman”. Wrong again, along came Teresa Ann on April 10th 1959. Then on November 11, 1960 along came Deborah Kay. The doctors warned her if she had more children she would likely die in childbirth. It took months and months for her to recover after Teresa & Debbie were born by caesarian section. Billie Gene Hughes, Febbie’s husband came to Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood in 1964 to find work and a better life for his family. He went back to KY and moved his family to Chicago later that year. Febbie was an amazing woman. Her daughter’s school friends always loved coming to her house for sleepovers, parties or just hanging out. She was always the cool Mom. March 8th is also International Women’s Day, it is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.