MARIE ELEANOR (SIGURDSON) HUGHES

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MARIE ELEANOR (SIGURDSON) HUGHES

June 3, 1930 - August 9, 2024

It has been one year since the passing of our dear mom, Marie Eleanor (Sigurdson) Hughes. At the great age of 94, she passed away peacefully on August 9 at Holy Family Home.

Marie leaves to mourn her five children, Curtis (Debbie), Charisse, John (Mary-Lou), Scarlette (Edwin) and Michelle (Jim), her 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Predeceased by her beloved husband Jack of 47 years, her brother Gerald and her grandson Ashton.

Marie was born on June 3, 1930, in Toronto, Ontario to Elizabeth (Bastien) and Harold Sigurdson of Kenora, Ontario.

Raised in beautiful Lake of the Woods, Marie took an early interest in art, fashion, and figure skating. Marie strapped on her first pair of bob-skates at the tender age of three and learned to skate on frozen ponds in Kenora, Ontario. Lessons started when she was 13, and by her early 20s, she was performing as "The Only Ballerina on Blades", in Canada's first home-grown professional ice show, 'The Canadian Ice Fantasy'. The ice show ran from 1953 to 1955. The first two years were box office hits, but with the introduction of affordable television sets, people stopped thinking of unheated arenas as a form of entertainment. Marie's love of skating coupled with her love of children was the deciding factor in becoming a coach. Marie felt it was a great way to give back to the communities that had readily embraced her in her youth.

During her 40 years of teaching skating Marie also produced an annual ice show at the following communities: Kenora, Keewatin, Red Lake (Ontario); Miami, East St. Paul, Hazelridge, Oakbank (Manitoba). These shows entailed set design, costumes, music, choreography, etc. with support from the members of the community. In addition, Marie had a long career with the City of Winnipeg Figure Skating Program.

In addition to her skating career, Marie had a variety of jobs including working at Kenora Minor and News, Arthor Pitt Clothing Store, Dental Assistant, and the Winnipeg Tribune.

Marie was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 1990. This took Marie on a journey of volunteering with the Lyme disease support group. She was met with many challenges as a result, but this did not stop her from continuing to live in the family home surrounding great neighbours and wonderful memories until her early 90s. Marie also had a wonderful group of friends, that would meet up for lunch at Ray and Jerry's Steak House and the casino for some much-needed fun.

We would like to thank the entire staff at Seine River Retirement Residence for their professionalism and compassion, making the tough transition from one's family home harmonious. As well, we would like to thank the personnel at Holy Family Home, for providing great care and empathy in mom's final days.

In Marie's final act of giving, she made the selfless choice to donate her body to the University of Manitoba Department of Anatomy.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 30, 2025