Lina Darlyne Hughes

Lina Darlyne Hughes passed away on July 23, 2026, in Englewood, Colorado, surrounded by the family she loved so dearly. She was 85 years old.

Darlyne was born January 8, 1941, at Cameron Hospital in Cameron, Texas, to Hugo Frank and Lina Lee (Turner) Horstmann. She grew up in Weatherford, Texas, with her beloved sister, LaJuana, where her parents were caretakers of the Texas Pythian Home, affectionately known as the “castle on the hill.” Growing up at the Pythian Home meant that Darlyne was surrounded by children, community, and people who needed looking after—a fitting beginning for someone who would spend much of her life caring for others.

Darlyne and LaJuana shared a room and many wonderful memories of their childhood at the “castle on the hill.” The home was filled with as many as 80 children, and Darlyne remembered fondly the attendants and teachers who helped make the home such a special place, including Mrs. Stark and Miss Gracy.

Darlyne also had remarkable musical talent. She played both saxophone and piano, but it was her ability to sit down at the piano and play without sheet music that was particularly special. Her music was a pleasure to listen to throughout her life. In high school, Darlyne also loved performing as a majorette, participating in parades and events including the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Darlyne attended First United Methodist Church in Weatherford. Her love of teaching came naturally, and she followed in her parents’ footsteps by becoming an educator herself. After graduating from the University of North Texas with a teaching degree, Darlyne set off for a new life in Colorado in 1962.

It was in Denver that Darlyne met David Hughes. They were married in 1963 at the Texas Pythian Home in Weatherford, Texas. Darlyne joined David in attending First Presbyterian Church of Lakewood, beginning a marriage and partnership that would last for 63 years. Darlyne and David remained active in the church throughout their lives. Their church was much more than a place they attended; it was a source of friendship, community, and many wonderful memories.

Over the years, they became part of a “dinner club,” where friends gathered regularly to share meals, explore different cuisines, laugh, talk, and enjoy each other’s company. Those friendships endured for decades and became an important part of their lives together.

Darlyne’s commitment to teaching was a defining part of her life. She spent many years teaching elementary school in the Jefferson County school system, including at Patterson, Lasley, and Stein schools in Lakewood. She cared deeply about her students and about the teachers with whom she worked. Over the years, she helped many Colorado children learn and grow, while forming friendships with fellow educators that lasted long after the school day ended.

But if you asked Darlyne what mattered most, it was her family.

She loved being a wife and mother and gave herself completely to David, Dawn, and Scott. Her children remember a mother who was always there—always caring, always involved, and always willing to give her time. She devoted countless hours to raising and guiding them through the wonderfully wide-open days of the 1980s. She was the kind of mother who could be counted on, no matter what.

And then came her grandchildren: Lilly, Kate, and Jack.

Darlyne adored them. She was a loving and nurturing grandmother who believed that children should be well read, well fed, and well cared for—and she made sure they were all three. She loved treating them to good food (especially cake), spending time with them, and watching them grow. Her care for them was generous and unmistakable, and her grandchildren knew that Grandma was always in their corner.

Darlyne also had a special place in her heart for West Highland White Terriers. Beau and MacMuffin were beloved members of the family and brought her endless companionship and joy.

Those who knew Darlyne will remember that she gave herself fully to the people she loved. She cared deeply about her family, her friends, her students, and her church community. She was a teacher by profession, but caring for others was something much bigger than a profession for Darlyne—it was simply who she was.

She leaves behind 63 years of memories with her husband, David; a lifetime of memories with her children, Dawn and Scott; and the special joy of her grandchildren, Lily, Kate, and Jack. She also leaves behind her sister and brother-in-law, LaJuana and Leon Wehunt, along with many friends, former colleagues, students, and others whose lives she touched along the way.

Darlyne’s legacy is not found only in the years she spent in a classroom. It lives in the people she taught, the friendships she nurtured, the family she loved, the meals she shared, the books she encouraged, the music she played, the dogs she adored, and the countless small acts of care that made people feel loved.

She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

A memorial service is being planned, with details to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that those wishing to honor Darlyne consider making a charitable donation to the Texas Pythian Home or to a primary school.