Marilyn Kaye Hughes was born Marilyn Kaye Newman on April 14, 1949,
in Duncan, Oklahoma. She went home to be with her Lord and Savior on
June 24, 2020.
Marilyn was the youngest child of her parents, Elder
Jerry Ewell and Letha Faye Newman. The Newman family lived in
Meridian, Oklahoma, until they moved to Duncan, Oklahoma when
Marilyn was eight years old. Elder Newman was ordained to the full
work of the ministry in 1956 by his home church, Pilgrims Rest, in
Duncan, Oklahoma. Elder Newman pastored churches in Amber, Duncan,
Purcell, and Sulphur, Oklahoma, during his time in the ministry.
When she was nine years old, Marilyn joined the Amber Pleasant View
Primitive Baptist Church at the Washita Association in Wilson,
Oklahoma. Upon the closing of that church in 1965, she moved her
membership to the Purcell Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church.
Throughout Marilyn’s childhood, she traveled with her parents and
siblings, Henry and Celia, to various churches all across Oklahoma,
Arkansas, and Texas.
Inheriting Elder Newman’s love of music, Marilyn learned to play
several instruments, including the obo, bassoon, piano, guitar, and
the recorder, and some of her fondest high school memories were of
playing in the marching band. She also enjoyed playing songs on the
guitar and singing with her sister, Celia, and the Newman family
would often sing hymns together with all four parts.
Marilyn graduated from Duncan High School in 1967. She attended
Oklahoma State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in
English with a minor in French in 1971. Marilyn then moved to Tulsa
where she taught English and French at Union High School before
beginning law school a year later at the University of Tulsa College
of Law. She graduated with her law degree in 1975 and began her
practice in Purcell, Oklahoma. Marilyn moved to Oklahoma City after
taking the position of General Counsel for Sonic Corporation in the
late 1970s.
In the summer of 1980, she met the love of her life, Michael Hughes,
while attending the West Texas Association in Cone, Texas. The two
were introduced by Elder Hilton Crain and only spoke for an hour
during the Association before beginning a long distance relationship
by phone and letters. Four months later, the two were engaged and
were married in Duncan, Oklahoma on August 1, 1981. After Mike made
the move from Florida to Oklahoma, the two lived in Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, and had two children — William Zane, who was born in 1984,
and Rachael Faye, born in 1986. Mike was ordained to the full work
of the ministry in 1989 and filled appointments in Crescent,
Tecumseh, and Purcell, Oklahoma, before being called as Pastor at
Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church in Purcell, Oklahoma, in 1994.
In 1987, Marilyn became the Executive Director of the Oklahoma
Ethics Commission — a position she would hold for twenty-five years.
She worked diligently alongside her General Counsel, Rebecca Adams,
to draft, reform, and enforce Oklahoma’s campaign finance laws. She
became the subject matter expert in campaign finance and was known
for for her integrity, work ethic, and for serving the public by
working toward greater transparency and accountability in state
elections and state government.
The most important service to Marilyn, however, was her service to
the Lord and His Church. She loved the Lord and enjoyed nothing more
than being in His House and worshipping and fellowshipping with His
people. Over the years, Marilyn worked on various projects that will
be remembered, such as her editing and publishing of Elder Newman’s
articles and the collages of pictures of Church members spanning
many years, which hang in the lunch room at Bethlehem. Many male
members at Bethlehem will remember Sister Marilyn’s help pitching
songs and beating music from her pew when they were learning to lead
as young boys. Many female members will remember her leading by
example through grace, perseverance, and faith. Everyone will
remember Sister Marilyn’s love of the Church. She will be missed
more than words can express, but we rejoice in knowing that she is
now face to face with her precious Savior who she loved so much, and
that she will be eternally singing the songs of Zion.
Sister Marilyn is preceded in death by her father, Elder Jerry
Newman; her mother, Faye Newman; her brother, Elder Henry Newman;
her father-in-law, Fred Hughes; her mother-in-law, Fae Hughes; her
sister-in-law Kay Evans and husband John Evans; her brother-in-law,
David Springs; and her niece, Linda Evans.
She is survived by her her loving husband of thirty-eight years,
Elder Mike Hughes; her son, William Hughes and wife Andrea Haken-Hughes;
her daughter, Rachael Zintgraff and husband Paul Zintgraff; her
sister, Celia Kreie and husband Elder Dennis Kreie; her
sister-in-law, Emma Jean Newman; her nephews, Tom Newman, Mike
Newman and wife Amberlee Newman, Brad Newman and wife Melissa
Newman, and Erron Kreie; her nieces, Kayce Booth and husband Ron
Booth, Leslye Montgomery and husband Elder David Montgomery, Karla
Evans and husband John Sheridan; and numerous cousins, friends,
extended family, and Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
Visitation for Sister Marilyn will be at Bethlehem Primitive Baptist
Church in Purcell, Oklahoma, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June
26.
The funeral service will be held at Bethlehem on Saturday, June
27, at 2:00 p.m.
The funeral service will be live-streamed for those
who are unable to attend at the following link: https://www.purcellpbc.org/service-stream.html
The
burial service will be held at Hillside Cemetery in Purcell,
Oklahoma. The wearing of facial masks during all services is
encouraged.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to either
Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church or Harmony Plains Singing School,
and can be mailed to Paula Brown, 3112 Tayport Street, Norman,
Oklahoma, 73072.
