Maureen Hughes

11/21/1931 — 6/16/2021

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Our special GraMom, Maureen Bell Hughes, 89, passed away peacefully with her family by her side Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at Royal Plaza in Lewiston, where she resided for three years.

Maureen was born Nov. 21, 1931, in Grants Pass, Ore., to Ruth and Glenn Bell. She was the third of six children (three boys, three girls). She attended school in California and married Kenneth Waterworth on March 23, 1948, in San Bernardino, Calif. In 1949, they welcomed Kenneth “Kenny,” followed by her only daughter, Susie, then two more sons, Kirk and Steven. She moved to Idaho in 1972 and that is how our family was established in northern Idaho. Her family was the focus of her adult life.

Maureen was a strong, courageous woman who wasn’t afraid to take risks and do hard things. She was very adventurous and had a laugh-out-loud sense of humor. From living off the land in Waha, to creating unique properties and nurturing close relationships with her grandchildren who adored her fun spirit, she was always active in both her own life and the lives of her family. She was so talented with endless craft and sewing projects from her cherished baby blankets, life-sized dolls, knitted slippers, jumbo knitted Christmas stockings and so much more.

We all benefited by her joy of giving. Maureen was very generous to everyone. She later married Mick Hughes, of Lewiston. He was a great man and they had 32 wonderful years together. They shared a love for the outdoors and fishing on the Snake River in Mick’s jet boat, “The Sacajawea.” Together they enjoyed having extended family at their Soldiers Meadow cabin, where everyone had a snowmobile to ride and were assured of a good time. Progressive dinners, outhouse decorating contests, the biggest campfires, and Christmas Eve midnight snowmobile rides were some of the many highlights. In the 1990s, Mick and Maureen moved to Bend, Ore., to enjoy more recreation and their beautiful 5-acre property with a view of Mt. Bachelor. Family would come from all over the country to enjoy four-wheeling, snowmobiling, pontoon boating and lots of food.

She was one of a kind and words cannot describe how important she was to our family. There was never a dull moment with Maureen; she always made sure something was planned and that we all had fun. Mick passed away in April 2012, and in 2017, her family moved her back to Lewiston to be closer to her. She enjoyed shopping (lucky for us), garage sale caravanning, planning and attending family reunions, crazy-shaped sunglasses, traveling across the country in their motorhome with Mick and her beloved dogs, Zuri and Daisy, playing bull and cribbage, M&M’s, popcorn and especially eating at Taco Bell (her brother Glenn Bell was the founder). Maureen was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1958.

She is survived by her last remaining sibling, Dorothy Cremonese, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; her children and their spouses, Kenneth Waterworth, of Utah, Susie Crawford, of Idaho, Kirk Waterworth, of Texas, Steven Waterworth, of California; and her nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Our GraMom will be greatly missed. We will never forget her laugh, smile, crazy hats and sunglasses, and how she brought us all together to give us lasting memories. She is now free to enjoy all the things she lost later in life. Her Spirit will live on. We wish to thank all the caregivers at Royal Plaza and Elite Hospice for their kind help and assistance in the care of Maureen in her final days.

A celebration of her life will occur with a family reunion at a later date.

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