Sharon Hughes

Sharon Ruth (Johnson) Hughes, age 68, of Newark, Delaware, passed away suddenly on Saturday September 25, 2021 at Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE. Born in Newark, DE and raised in Bucks County PA along with her 7 siblings, she was a daughter of the late Kenneth Johnson and the late Virginia Shaw Johnson.

Sharon is survived by her daughter, Jennifer L. Tetlow and her husband Raymond of Kennett Square; her son, John Hughes of New Hope, PA; one sister, Judith of Newark, DE; one brother, James of Yardley, PA and five grandchildren, Pierce, Rhianna, Tanner, Gavin and Grayson. She was predeceased by 5 brothers and sisters, Kenneth, Darlene, Eric, Gary, and Debra.

Sharon was a councilwoman for the city of Newark, representing district 2 for nearly 3 years. She worked tirelessly for the people and the city that she loved and vigorously advocated for those who were less fortunate. She was recently quoted in the Newark Post saying, "I don't shy away from big problems," "I jump in, I roll up my sleeves, I help them."  Even before being elected, Hughes was a regular in Newark politics. Her first run for council came in 2005, when Jerry Clifton initially decided not to seek re-election but then won in a historic write-in vote. She fell short again in 2014 and three years later, she filed to run against Clifton but withdrew from the race before the election. "Sometimes you have to run a few times before they're ready for you," she said during her 2019 campaign. "I never lost my enthusiasm. I truly believe [voters] were just saying, 'Not yet.'"  She worked on issues including pandemic response, urban development and environmentalism. She also focused on the impact and the relationship with the University of Delaware, on the city of Newark at large.

She was passionate about her volunteerism and support of numerous local organizations including League of Woman Voters, Newark Senior Center, and the Food Bank of Delaware.
She enjoyed spending time with her 5 grandchildren, travel with her family, gardening, political debate and she adored her pets.  She will be remembered for her beautiful smile, her caring heart, her compassion for those in need, and was a trusted friend to those near and far. Her personality made everyone feel special and important and she was very protective of her relationships. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her, but her legacy will live on for years to come.

You are invited to visit with Sharon's family and friends from 10-12 Noon Friday October 1, 2021 at First Presbyterian Church of Newark, 292 W Main St, Newark, DE 19711. Her funeral service will follow at 12 Noon. Interment will be held privately at Head of Christiana Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to either the Newark Senior Center https://newarkseniorcenter.com/general-donations/ or the Food Bank of Delaware https://www.fbd.org/onlinedonations/
Arrangements are by Matthew J. Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory ( 484-734-8100 ) To offer condolences to her family, please visit www.griecofunerals.com