Mary Loretta (Lori) Chaisson-Hughes at age 88 passed away on Oct 20th 2026. Lori was born on July 17,1938 in Westbrook, Maine. The youngest child of Mildred and Alex Chaisson. She graduated from Westbrook High School in 1956. She was a graduate of Gordon Keller School of Nursing (now the University of Southern Florida). She received her Batchelor of Science in Nursing from Seattle University and her Master of Science in Nursing from Northwestern State University. Lori served as a nurse in the Air Force for 16 years with tours in Okinawa, Viet Nam and England. Her state side assignments were at Air Force Bases Eglin, FL., Minot, ND., Wright Patterson, OH., Wilford Hall Lackland, San Antonio, TX., and Barksdale, LA. She later retired from Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, LA. with a combined government service of 26 years.

She was a resident of Waskom, TX for 48 years since 1978 and was active in the Louisiana Association of Healthcare Quality for over 20 years. She was a Distinguished Member of LAHQ and their education stipend is named after her. She was also a Distinguished Toastmaster and served as Area Governor and Division Governor. Lori was also active in her church and was a founding member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church. She was also a member of the Disabled America Veterans, the America Legion Post 267 and the Air Force Nurses Association.

She was preceded in death by the love of her life Lt. Col/Ret. Daniel F. Hughes, whom she met in Viet Nam, her parents Alex and Mildred Chaisson, her brother Joseph Chaisson, her sister Edna Cich-Chaisson, her sister Maj. Ret. Mary D. McGuirk and her sister Margaret and Clifford Beane.

She is survived by her sister-in-law Kathy and husband Daniel Nelson of California, her cousin Kitty Brinkman of Liberty, MO, her step-daughter Jayme Hughes-Kitchens and husband Joe Kitchens of Amarillo, TX, her adopted son John Joseph Hughes-Monaghan and wife Lisa Monaghan of Texarkana, AR, her daughter Molly Talbort-Hart of Las Vegas, NV, her precious foster daughter Lisa Peden of Leicestershire, England. Her grandchildren: step-grandsons Cade and Alex Kitchens and their children, her granddaughter Amanda Ann Tomoczewski, foster grandsons Alexander and Ryan Peden, along with numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews from Maine to California.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following: The Travis Mills Project, Dogs for the Blind, Dogs for Vets, St. Lawrence Catholic Church Building Fund of Waskom, Tx., St. Jude’s Children Hospital or the Animal Humane Shelter in Marshall, Tx.

Visitation & Rosery will be held at Downs Funeral Home on Sunday, November 8th from 3 PM to 5 PM

The Funeral will be held at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Waskom, Tx. Monday November 9th at 10:00 AM

Military grave side honors will be then held at Keithville, LA Military Cemetery at 12:30 pm