Tommie Joyce (Higgs) Hughes, 90, of Sanger, passed away Monday, March 7, 2022 at Vintage Health Care Center in Denton.

Tommie was born April 26, 1931 at home in Slidell to Olen and Lillian (Tritt) Higgs.  Although her family moved around, they eventually settled in Denton where she graduated from Denton High School.

Tommie was the oldest of six siblings and a country girl accustomed to hard work.  She took her role as caretaker seriously, helping to raise her siblings, then lovingly caring for her parents, and finally fulfilled her final caretaker role for the love her life, Quincy Merl.

She always knew her and Quincy were meant to be.  Although her daddy, who she adored, forbid her to marry Quincy, her strong will and love for her soulmate prevailed and they eloped in Gainesville on June 4, 1949. They went on to live a true love story, married for 72 years.

Marriage and children did not slow Tommie down.  In a time when women were expected to stay home, she forged her own path and worked as a stenographer in medical records (a job she was very passionate about), as well as a licensed realtor and finally a weatherization contractor.  She retired at the age of 80 but continued to stay busy, reading, gardening, visiting with family, and enjoying life with Quincy.  In their earlier years, they also loved to hunt, fish, and camp.  Being outside was her happy place.

Tommie passed on her tenacity to her granddaughters, who she always encouraged to make their own way, learn trades and advance in their education, and grow to be strong women.  She would say that she was successful in solidifying her legacy.

Tommie is survived by both sons and daughters-in-law, Curtis and Sheila Hughes and David and Betty Hughes; seven grandchildren:  Jonathan Hughes, Lisa (Hughes) Hartlaub, JoAnne (Hughes) Crenshaw, Amy (Hughes) Trietsch, Carrie (Hughes) Sasser, Kimberly (Hughes) Littlejohn, and Jeremy Hughes; nineteen great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren; her brother and sister-in-law, James and Patsy Higgs; and her sister and brother-in-law, Betty Sue and Bob Chauncey.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Quincy, her daughter, Carrie Ann, parents, Olen and Lillian, and her brothers, Dale Higgs, Carl Ray Higgs, and Charles Higgs.

We would love to welcome friends and family to Tommie's visitation at 10 am and to her service at 11 am on March 10th, both at DeBerry Funeral Home in Denton, Texas.  Her burial will follow the service at Sanger Cemetery in Sanger, Texas.