September 20, 1924 – January 19, 2019

It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Karma Cullimore Hughes. Her last days were peaceful and she was surrounded by her devoted children at the time she passed.

Karma Jean Cullimore was born in Washington, DC but spent most of her young life in Provo, Utah. Her parents were Odessa and Lloyd Cullimore who reflected the values of kindness, graciousness, and generosity. Along with a keen intellect, great wit and good humor, she demonstrated these qualities throughout her life, even when her memory had failed.

She had 4 siblings: Georgia, Kay, Bud (deceased), and Anne. She married Grant B. Hughes, (deceased in 2013 at the age of 96) in 1950 and raised 4 children of her own: John, Catherine, Paul and Mark.

Karma was a truly remarkable person. Beloved by all she met, she was a quietly independent thinker, full of gentle wisdom and a limitless supply of unconditional love. Her children spent hours and hours in her company, gathered around the kitchen table. Later, her grandchildren (8 of them) also sought her company and affection. In spite of the age difference, they viewed her as their personal playmate. She had an uncanny ability to turn challenges into opportunities and reframe negatives into positives. That optimism lives on in her offspring.

Karma was an educator to her core. Passionate about learning, reading, and teaching, she wrote beautifully—carefully choosing just the right words and creating lovely phrases. She cherished her library. She read and reread classic works of literature, making notes in the margins. We treasure those notes that now remain as a reminder of her elegance and erudition.

One granddaughter fondly remembers Karma’s interest in her and her studies. They had long conversations about philosophy, life, and especially learning. Not surprisingly, she also became a teacher,

Karma taught school in Utah and in Portland, Oregon. She had a natural ability to connect with students. One principal asked her how she managed to get the troubled boys in her music class to attend class and then go on to graduate. She replied: “I just cared about them!” That response captures her essence. Karma genuinely loved people and routinely placed others’ needs before her own.

In relationships, she was able to experience great joy in small moments. She found delight in the people around her. She thought everything her children did was fantastic. Though we knew better than to believe that we were always “wonderful,” her joy in us felt great. It was also infectious. And, as one grandson said, “She could hear any dumb song we sang or played and be in tears over it. She thought we should perform at the Met!” Her love for and belief in her children kept us hopeful and motivated. We would later marvel that she seldom disciplined us. We simply wanted to be good for her.

During their retirement years, she travelled widely with her husband GB. After exploring much of the world, they moved to a beautiful condominium in downtown Portland. On the 17th floor, the condo had a lovely view of the city, the river, and Mount Hood and brought Karma great joy. She referred to the place as the “Cathedral.”

After several years, Karma and GB relocated to an independent living/assisted living facility near their son Paul in Wilsonville, Oregon. They lived there for more than a decade. Karma stayed for several years after GB’s death but as the dementia became more pronounced, Karma moved to Indiana to be close to her daughter, Catherine. There, they enjoyed daily visits, trips to Catherine’s home and beautiful garden, and (in Karma’s words) shared a “glorious year.” She was happy, grateful, funny, and wonderful company up to the day she died, carrying with her the Karma essence that we all cherish!

Thank you, Karma Jean Cullimore Hughes, for your contributions to the world! We deeply grieve your passing but continue to feel your presence. You’ll be with us forever!