Karen Hughes

Karen Jane Harkins Hughes, age 62, of Spring Hill, TN passed away on December 6, 2023 after a short but brave battle with cancer.

Karen was born on March 21, 1961 in Shelby, MS.  As the oldest of four children, she developed her life-long nature of looking out for others early in life.  She grew up in Cleveland, MS, where she graduated Cleveland High School and went on to graduate Delta State University in 1983.

On May 15, 1982, she married her high school sweetheart Andy Hughes and they became parents to Emily and Jason. Karen’s love of children was apparent in all of her life choices.  She was able to enjoy being a stay-at-home mom, a kindergarten and preschool teacher, and a substitute teacher.  Karen and Andy lived happily in Yazoo City and later Madison, MS until Andy’s sudden death in 2008.

 In 2015, she moved to Tennessee to be closer to her granddaughters Lillie and Andi Garcia. It was there that she began working for Williamson County Schools.  She primarily worked as a teacher’s assistant at Thompson’s Station Elementary where she touched countless children’s lives and became quite famous for her version of “Happy Birthday” sung to students during lunch in the cafeteria.

More than anything, Karen loved being “Gren” to Lillie and Andi. She spent a lot of her time with them at dance and swim activities where she was lovingly known as the “dance grandma” or the “swim grandma.”

Her family was the most important thing to her. It wasn’t only apparent in her role as mother and grandmother, but also as the best aunt ever to her many nieces and nephews.  She will be incredibly missed by her daughter Emily Hughes Garcia (Daniel) of Thompson Station TN, her son Jason Hughes (Shannon) of Jarrell, TX, sister Michele Austin (Greg) of Madison, MS, brother Larry Harkins (Natalie) of Madison, MS, granddaughters granddaughters Lillie and Andi Garcia of Thompson  Station, TN, her nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbors, friends, and all who were lucky enough to know her.

Karen was preceded in death by her husband, Andy Hughes; parents Bill and Dorothy Harkins; and brother, Joe Harkins.

A memorial service will be held at Wellspring Christian Church in Spring Hill, TN on December 30, 2023 at 1 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, if you would like to honor her memory please donate to No Kid Hungry, Gigi’s Playhouse Nashville, the American Cancer Society, or simply go do a random act of kindness in memory of all the things she did for others.