Wanda Gayle Hughes

Wanda Gayle (Lawson) Hughes was born on September 12, 1942 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. Wanda passed away on May 8, 2026 in Sulphur, OK at the age of 83. She was the third and youngest child to Ruben Alexander Lawson and Alice Alzada (Wootten) Lawson Markum. Her childhood was spent playing outside on their farm near Pauls Valley OK. She moved to Wynnewood OK when she was in the 8th grade. While in high school she spent lots of time roller skating in Sulphur, OK. That's where she met the love of her life, Clifford Dean Hughes. In 1960 she graduated from Wynnewood HS in May and married Clifford on Friday, August 13th. After marrying, Clifford and Gayle managed roller skating rinks for several years, first in Duncan OK and later Ardmore OK before they finally settled on property north of Sulphur, next to Clifford's parents. Gayle managed the house while Clifford ran a dairy with his dad. Gayle was an active homemaker and a very proud member of the Oaklawn OHCE Club for 65 years. After being married a few years, she had a daughter, Sandra, and four years later she had a second daughter, Tammy. Gayle was a very devoted mother spending lots of time with her girls, teaching them many things, especially to sew and cook as well as taking them to church. She was a long time member of Dolberg Missionary Baptist church. Gayle loved being outside and spent much time planting, tending & pruning flowers, trees and a very large garden. Each summer she canned and preserved fruits and vegetables for the upcoming year. When she had to stay inside because it was too cold, she would spend her time sewing, crocheting or painting. The clothes she made looked as good on the inside as they did on the outside, because she was very particular. In the 1980s, when she was no longer sewing as many clothes for her girls, she began quilting. It quickly became her new passion. Since that time, Gayle completed hundreds of quilting projects, and always quilted them by hand. On New Year's Eve, December 31, 1982 Skate World opened its doors to the public for the first time. For the next 40 years, Gayle and Clifford taught kids to skate and watched generations of families from Sulphur and many neighboring towns, grow up in their skating rink. The only things that ever caused the rink to close was the State High School Football Championship game of 2002 when the Sulphur Bulldogs won and COVID-19. After the safety of COVID-19 could be managed, Skate World reopened for a short time before Gayle had an aneurysm while she was working in her garden, on July 28, 2023. On August 1, 2023 Skate World closed permanently. Gayle had a very difficult recovery, but pulled through only because she had been so active and healthy. After being released from the hospital in December 2023, she lived with her oldest daughter & son-in-law in Sulphur. Gayle is survived by her husband of 65 years Clifford Hughes, her daughters and sons-in-law Sandra & Kent McKinley of Sulphur OK and Tammy & Rodney Bellamy of Southlake TX, three grandchildren and their spouses, Carrie & Cory Cole of Sulphur OK, Kelby McKinley & Brittani Manire of Sulphur OK and Paisley & Michael Bellamy of Kansas City MO, seven great-grand children Caden, Carter & Casten Cole, Britton, Braxon & Brittlee McKinley all of Sulphur OK and Theodore Bellamy (to be born any day) of Kansas City MO, her sister Virgie Thompson of Ft Worth TX, her brother Duane (Curly) Lawson of Odessa TX. Gayle was preceded in death by her mother and father. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday May 13, 2026 at 1:00 PM at the Crossway Baptist Church officiated by Rev. Wayne Edgar and Rev. Bill Leveridge. Interment will follow at Dolberg Cemetery near Roff. Services are under the direction of DeArman Funeral Home of Sulphur. dearmanfuneralhome@gmail.com

Tributes

Wanda Gayle Hughes

September 12, 1942 - May 8, 2026