Marsha Elizabeth Hughes

Marsha Elizabeth (Detrick) Hughes, age 79, passed away peacefully in her sleep during the early morning hours of Saturday, February 5, 2022, at St. Mary of the Woods in Avon, OH.  

Marsha, the youngest daughter of Max and Elizabeth (Gillespie) Detrick and sister to Don and Sue, was born October 20, 1942 in Bellefontaine, OH.  She was known to family and friends as a loving, selfless and driven individual – a friend to everyone she met and someone who always put others’ needs above her own.

Growing up, Marsha served as a member of the Bellefontaine Methodist Church.  She graduated from Bellefontaine High School in 1960 and went on to attend Bowling Green State University, where she received her degree in Business and Finance. Upon graduation, Marsha moved to Cleveland and embarked on a career in banking.  After years of hard work and perseverance, Marsha was named President and CEO of the Northeastern Ohio League of Saving Institutions, where she served until retiring from the League in the mid-90s. 

Marsha was recognized in her professional life as an incredible consensus-builder, an agent for positive change and, quite simply, someone you could always count on to get things done.  Those unique talents landed her on several boards and in leadership roles for numerous civic and not-for-profit organizations throughout her career.  A Leadership Cleveland graduate, Marsha served as a director of the Institute of Financial Education, was named a Trustee of Cuyahoga Community College and served as a director of its Foundation. Marsha also worked on the Legislative Policy Committee for the U.S. League of Savings Institutions and the National Council of Community Bankers. She was also named a (founding) representative to the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame and served as a member of the Cuyahoga County Women’s Political Caucus.

Despite all her professional pursuits, Marsha still found ample time to devote to her family and was an incredibly loving wife and mother.  She married Don Hughes on June 15, 1967, and raised two sons, Steve and Tom, in North Olmsted, OH.  Upon retirement, Marsha and Don moved to Florida, where they ultimately settled in Lexington Country Club in Fort Myers, FL.  Both were quite active in the community and made dozens of life-long friendships.  Don passed on July 20, 1999, but Marsha remained in Lexington and maintained a very active lifestyle.  Years later, Marsha met Al Dodge, a former neighbor and friend, with whom she shared several delightful years as her loving and devoted partner until his passing on July 30, 2016.

Marsha was unwaveringly devoted to, and will be forever loved and missed by, friends, family and everyone with whom she came in contact.

Marsha is preceded in death by her parents, Max Detrick, Elizabeth (Gillespie) Detrick, her brother, Don Detrick, her husband, Don Hughes, her later partner, Al Dodge, and her very special and loving niece, Lisa (Hirschfeld) Rubin.  Marsha’s brother and niece were taken from us far too soon.

Marsha is survived by her sons, Steve and Tom, her daughters-in-law, Tracy (Morgan) Hughes and Julie (Jurcak) Hughes, her five grandchildren, Ethan, Morgan, Sarah, Evan and Olivia, her sister, Sue (Detrick) Hirschfeld, her brother-in-law, Dale Hirschfeld, her nephew, Eric Hirschfeld, Eric’s wife, Diane (Meyer) Hirschfeld, Eric’s children, Blake and Erica (Corey) Dutra, her nephew-in-law, Dan Rubin, Dan’s children, Jack and Lauren, her sister-in-law, Marguerite Hughes and her family, and her special Gillespie, Lamb and Detrick cousins with whom she grew up.

Pastor Michael Mitchell of DeGraff United Methodist Church will officiate the memorial service at 12 noon  Friday, February 11, 2022 at the Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Bellefontaine, Ohio. 

Visitation hours will be held two hours prior to the memorial service from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. 

Burial will be at a later date in the Bellefontaine Cemetery.

Marsha’s family respectfully requests that donations in lieu of flowers be made in her name to Families for a Cure (www.familiesforacure.org), P.O. Box 733, Hilliard, OH 43026, or Logan County Education Association, 1973 St Rt 47 W, Bellefontaine, OH 43311.

The staff of the Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Bellefontaine is honored to serve the Hughes family.

(authored by the family)

E.T.