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Janet Hughes Nablo, age 78, finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired, and left this earth on Feb. 11, 2023, after a 10-plus-year adventure with congestive heart failure and kidney disease.
Born Oct. 27, 1944, in Montgomery, Ala., to Gerald V. Hughes Sr. and Mabel Bess Hughes, she was predeceased by her parents and a daughter, Michelle Lynn Coada.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Robert L. Nablo Jr., and sons Christopher L. Nablo (Carmela) of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Robert L. Nablo III of Roanoke. Also surviving are grandchildren Alyson Burch (Zachary) of West Point and Michael Shannon Coada (Jess) of Waynesboro.
Janet had two brothers, Gerald V. “Kirk” Hughes Jr. (Eve) of Keswick and Larry D. Hughes (Sandy) of Austell, Ga., and a half-sister, Kaye Lester of Columbia, S.C. All three Hughes children were raised from a young age by Thomas F. and Alma H. Pharr of Lexington and attended local schools. Cousins and friends relate many stories of Janet growing up next door, most of which cannot, or should not, be repeated here.
In her early working life Janet was employed as a keypunch operator (remember those days?) and in management positions by McDonald’s Corp. and Hardee’s Food Systems. She was best known as the chocolatier for Cocoa Mill in Lexington for many years (a position that her husband enjoyed immensely!) and retired after working briefly in textbook sales for the Virginia Military Institute bookstore.
Janet was a local girl who returned from U.S. Army life overseas to Lexington to work, play and raise a family while enjoying life and being an excellent mother and cook. She was especially proud of her children and was thrilled to have a young granddaughter (Sophia Nablo of Pittsburgh) and two greatgrandsons (Brayden Burch of West Point and Oliver Coada of Waynesboro). She will be greatly missed by family and friends who thank her for many wonderful years and lots of terrific memories!
A memorial service will be held at Harrison Funeral Home at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 3. Following the service, there will be a brief reception at the Lexington Holiday Inn Express.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation to either Amedisys Home Health of Staunton or Rockbridge Area Hospice.
Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory. N-G
