Carolyn Jo (Maggie) Milligan Hughes, age 62

Many of you know her as Maggie, but Karen and I grew up with her as Carolyn Jo, the youngest of the five cousins. Randy, Larry, Karen, Carolyn, and I played army many Friday nights as kids while our parents played the card game Rook. We grew up very “tight” back in the day with six years between the five of us spending countless hours playing together. We remained very close throughout life, and Karen and I were fortunate to be able to be with Maggie a lot when her health has been failing these past few years.

Maggie was a Christian and grew up attending Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Batesville, Arkansas.

She passed away in Conway, Arkansas on January 5th, 2022, after her health has declined over the last few years. She was the daughter of Georgia and Mitchell Milligan, and sister to Larry and Randy Milligan. She was born on September 15, 1959, in Batesville, Arkansas. Maggie graduated from Batesville High School in 1977 and was homecoming maid her senior year. Her work career was in apartment management primarily in the Little Rock area.

Maggie was a beautiful lady, inside and out. Her laugh was contagious with a beautiful smile. She never met a stranger and had many friends. She was a lover of music, particularly Jimmy Buffet and the late great Batesville local Andy Bushman. Maggie also loved the many dogs in her life starting out with Skipper, Randy’s Collie. We admire Maggie’s spirit of independence and resilience she demonstrated as she continued to experience loss of her family and her health. She seldom asked for assistance, endured some lonely times, and yet remained positive. If you know Maggie, then you have heard her say countless times. “It will be okay; it is what it is”. She would then give her laugh and smile really big.

Her address book was full of names familiar to us and then some not, but surely demonstrated the many friends in her life. Yes, it was nice to see a paper address book, and she had two. It was an immediate visual of the love people had for her. She was not a techy person, and this was even more demonstrated when Karen and I cleaned her apartment out when she moved into Hospice back in October. She had saved every paper created with her son Richard in mind. All of the report cards, totes of pictures, cards and letters. All of those were saved for Richard. She also had saved every receipt she had accumulated in her life. Lucky for Richard, we threw those away…

Maggie is survived by her son, Richard Lane Hughes, Jr. who she loved and adored fiercely. Granddaughter Ronnie Hughes of Arkansas. She is also survived by three nieces, one nephew, many cousins, aunts, and an uncle. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Randy and Larry, and her granddaughter Millie.

No formal funeral service is planned. For our Batesville friends, release a balloon in Maggie’s honor if you are down by the White River. That was one of her requests. By the way her favorite color is forest green! We will miss her and cherish the privilege of having her in our life. Fly High Maggie. WE LOVE YOU. ALWAYS HAVE!

Arrangements entrusted to A Natural State Funeral Service, 2620 West Main Street, Jacksonville, Arkansas, 72076. 501-982-3400. Online guestbook is available at www.anaturalstatefuneralservice.com