THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 71 the farm economy, won national recognition, including a Presidential Rank Award as Distinguished Executive. Ms. Hefferan retired in 2015. She was preceded in death by her husband, Hollis Summers, and brother, Patrick Hefferan. Ms. Hefferan is survived by her daughter, Margaret Summers; sister, Stephanie Nelson; sisters-in-law, Anne Shotton and Beatrice Camp, a retired FSO; and brother-in-law, David Summers, also a retired FSO. n Patricia Hughes, 85, the wife of retired FSO Arthur Hughes, died peacefully at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Md., on April 13, 2026. The ravages of dementia finally had their way, exacerbated by her near blindness from macular degeneration. Ms. Hughes was born on December 20, 1940, to Louise Marie Petska McOstrich and Darrell Barker McOstrich in Falls City, Neb. During the war, the family lived in Louisiana and Mississippi where Darrell, a civil engineer, was working on defense production. Returning to Nebraska, they made their home in Grand Island, where Ms. Hughes graduated from high school. She entered the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 1959, where she met Art, and they were married in 1961. She earned her BS in education in 1963. As an Army and then Foreign Service wife, Ms. Hughes and her family (first, Art, and later son Alex and daughter Kathy) served and worked together in nine overseas postings: Germany (three times), Venezuela, Denmark, the Netherlands, Israel, Yemen, and Italy. They all periodically returned home to Bethesda, Md., for Mr. Hughes’ assignments at the Departments of State and Defense. While abroad, Ms. Hughes graciously and skillfully hosted congressional delegations, Vice President George H.W. and Barbara Bush, and other dignitaries. In Yemen, as the ambassador’s wife, she beautifully represented her country with her warm hospitality and good works. She learned to manage staff and complex household budgets. She loved cooking and languages. Ms. Hughes wrote about her extraordinary life in her book, The Royals and the Roaches (iUniverse, 2004), describing both the privileges and challenges she experienced. She also wrote poetry and articles for Washington Woman newspaper. She developed a special niche as a teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL), teaching private students and in a private school in Washington, D.C. She developed her own teaching materials in a time before ESL curricula were widely available. Overseas, she often formed and hosted English-language conversation groups with local women. She also substituted in Department of Defense and international schools abroad. Ms. Hughes inspired and energized charity work in several countries, especially at a shelter for battered wives in Tel Aviv and at a women’s prison in Sanaa. When in the Washington, D.C., area, she was a volunteer at Suburban Hospital and a volunteer shopper for the homebound at the Senior Connection. She always exemplified the finest virtues and qualities of what it is to be an American, earning much admiration, respect, and love wherever she was. Ms. Hughes was predeceased by her sister, Carol Rasmussen Bonness, and grandson, Nathan. She is survived by her husband, Art; son, Alex (and spouse, Jacqueline); daughter, Kathy (and spouse, Jeff); granddaughter, Carolina (and spouse, Marcus); grandson, Ian (and spouse, Rae); sister-in-law, Nancy Gamber; and many nieces and nephews. Contributions may be made in her honor to Macular Degeneration Research, a BrightFocus Foundation program. n Dennis Henry Kux, 94, a retired Foreign Service officer and former U.S. ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, passed away on March 27, 2026, in Arles, France. Born in London on August 11, 1931, to Ladislav “Lacy” Kux and Evelyn Stern, Mr. Kux moved with his parents to New York City in 1934. He became a U.S. citizen in 1940 when his mother was naturalized. An exceptional student, he graduated at the top of his class from Riverdale High School in the Bronx before earning Phi Beta Kappa honors at Lafayette College in 1952. Following graduation, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as an intelligence officer and POW interrogator during the Korean War. His time in Korea persuaded Mr. Kux to pursue a career in foreign affairs; and utilizing the GI Bill, he earned a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. In 1956 Mr. Kux joined the State Department Foreign Service. After an initial assignment on a tariff negotiation team, he began a lifelong specialization in South Asia. Overseas assignments in Karachi, Madras (now Chennai), and Islamabad saw him become fluent in Urdu, Hindi, and Tamil. He also spoke French and German. During the 1970s, he served as director of both the Pakistan and India desks.
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