Claudia Jean Hughes

We say farewell to Claudia Jean Hughes, age 70 of Lanexa, VA who suddenly passed on October 7, 2025. Claudia was born in Orange County Virginia and graduated from Orange County High School. She visited Virginia Beach after high school and fell in love with the area. She moved to Newport News and applied to Newport News Shipbuilding (NNSY). She started a dedicated career of 50 years in working to make “the best ships for our military”. She was proud and loved her job, admired the work she did, and excelled at her positions in steel fabrication & material control and as a project manager. In the 1990’s, she worked part-time at Paul’s Arts & Crafts in Hampton for many years after putting in her 8+ hr shifts at the shipyard.

Claudia had a huge heart, never met a stranger, straight shooter mentality, and loved her grand dogs, family and friends. She enjoyed working on her arts and crafts and was well known for her beautiful wreaths and bows. She enjoyed spending time with her daughter on their shopping outings, visiting with family, fishing locally or at Oregon Inlet, and just being around people she loved.

Claudia was a dedicated mother, doggie grandma, partner, aunt, employee, and friend. She cherished moments spent with her friends and family, some good and some questionable.

Claudia is preceded in death by her parents, Claude Everett Hughes and Dorothy Jones Hughes and brother Donald Lee Hughes.

Leaving behind to cherish her memory is her daughter, Jennifer P. Hughes of Lanexa and son-in-law Billy, her best friend and partner, Bill McGuire of Newport News, VA. She is survived by her sister, Phyllis A. Smith of Orange, VA; sister-in-law, Lil Y. Hughes of Orange, VA; nephew Rev. Dr. Mark E. Hughes of Sutherland, VA; niece Laura R. Hughes of Richmond, VA; nephew Rodney Shipp of Fluvanna, VA; nieces Kristin Lohr and Kelly Jones of Orange, VA, and numerous other extended family members.

Words will never express the laughter, tears, and love that she brought to so many of us. Claudia was a huge part of the NNSY community, and no one will ever have so much knowledge as she did of that place. May her memory live on with each of us with her daily phrases of wisdom (often explicit). For the many of us who had the opportunity to know her, she will forever be missed. Our hearts are truly broken and will need time to grieve. A memorial service will be scheduled at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Heritage Human Society (Williamsburg, VA) (https://heritagehumane.org) or Children’s Hospital of Kings Daughters (chkd.org)