Keohane Funeral Home

Margaret M. Hughes (Lersch), age 89, entered eternal rest on March 21, 2024 surrounded by her close family.

Born in Hingham, MA on March 4, 1935 to William and Margaret (Houghton), Peggy was the eldest sister to Charles, William, who preceded her in death in 2019, and John Lersch. She graduated from Hingham High School in 1952 and St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in 1954, after which she began her career in nursing. In 1960, she married Gerard J. Hughes, who preceded her in death in 1990. Peggy and Jerry enjoyed 30 years of marriage together and had four children: Gregory, Michael, who preceded her in death in 2015, Susan (now Dlouhy), and Timothy Hughes.

As a family they enjoyed spending time at the beach and vacationing together, including a trip to Disney World that Peggy won in a grocery store raffle. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, she spent as much time as possible at their family vacation home on the Cape.

As each of her children started their own families, she warmly welcomed their spouses into her family – Brendan Dlouhy, Amy Chisholm, Nina Lipsky, and Emily Sterzin – and lovingly served as the matriarch of her growing family. She was a proud and beloved “Nana” to grandchildren Zachary, Erin, Hannah, Matthew, Samantha, Max, Owen, and Leo and great-grandchildren Declan and Layla, and “Auntie Peggy” to many nieces, nephews, and close friends.

Nursing was at the core of her being – she was very caring and generous with her time, knowledge, and skills. In addition to her 40+ year career in nursing at South Shore Hospital and medical administration at Beth Israel Hospital, she was the go-to in her community. Her kids were never surprised to see ad hoc medical treatment for family or friends in their kitchen. Grandchildren would run various bumps, bruises, and stings by her careful eye and she quality checked the medical care of her loved ones and herself right until the end.

Her community was incredibly important to her and she was a faithful volunteer for years – at the Cottage Shop at South Shore Hospital and for over 15 years at the Hingham Senior Center, where she was honored with the “Volunteer of the Year” award in 2020. Prior to that, she was involved in the Hingham Mothers’ Club, the Hingham Ladies Club, and the Hingham PTA.

Peggy prioritized supporting her familys’ interests, activities, and events. From driving hours to Maine each weekend to see her brother play football in the 1950s to braving the elements last fall to watch her youngest grandchildren play flag football and all of the track meets, basketball games, hockey tournaments, soccer games, cheerleading competitions, dance recitals, swim meets, baseball games, and theater performances in between, Peggy was a consistent presence, loving fan, and vocal (“woohoo!”) cheerleader to everyone in her family over the decades.

She was a voracious reader and was often found surrounded by books, at the library, and trading books with friends and family. Her social life was robust and filled with lunches, dinners, shopping trips, and wedding and baby showers, all of which she attended impeccably dressed, accessorized, and coordinated. She was a generous and thoughtful gift-giver. She never forgot an important milestone or holiday and particularly loved spoiling her family on Christmas.

Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate her life. Visiting hours are on Sunday 3/24 from 5-8 PM in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St., Hingham, MA. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday 3/25 at St. Paul’s Church, 147 North St, Hingham at 11:00 AM. Burial in St. Paul’s Cemetery, Hingham.

Donations in memory of Margaret may be made to the Hingham Senior Center, 224 Central St., Hingham, MA 02043 or the Hingham Public Library, 66 Leavitt St., Hingham, MA 02043.

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