Jane Love Burton

Jane Love Hughes-Burton, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully on May 27th, 2023. Jane was born on July 20th, 1936, to Thaddeus and Louise Love in Wilmington, North Carolina. Jane graduated from New Hanover High School and attended Greensboro College. She moved to New York City and was the youngest stewardess for Trans World Airlines which she enjoyed immensely. She married J. Winder Hughes, Jr. and moved to Jacksonville, Florida.

Jane became very active in the community with volunteer work associated with the Junior League. She was chairman of the American Red Cross Nurse’s Aides, and helped start the greater Jacksonville Golf Open, which is now the Tournament Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. She also enjoyed her docent work at the Cummer Museum, the Jacksonville Art Museum, and the Saint Augustine Historical Association.

Jane was instrumental in founding the Northeast Florida Junior Tennis Association and was on the board of USTA for junior tennis. Jane was captain of the women’s tennis team at the Ponte Vedra Club, and especially loved watching her children and grandchildren play in tournaments throughout the state of Florida and nationally. Jane loved walking on the beach and swimming in the ocean for 60 wonderful years in Ponte Vedra Beach. She was a faithful communicant at Christ Episcopal Church. She returned to Wilmington in 2005 and married her high school sweetheart, Paul Burton. Jane had a wonderful and lively life with Paul traveling and attending North Carolina State football games.

 She is survived by her children, John Winder Hughes III, Thaddeus Love Hughes, Thomas Nelson Hughes, Sr. (Leigh Holleman), and Jane Love Hughes. Jane has nine grandchildren, Thaddeus Love Hughes Jr., Charles Karel Hughes (Carly Pelle), Thomas Nelson Hughes Jr., Holleman Walsh Hughes, Madison Hanna Hughes, Halle Tate Hughes, Patricia Grace Hughes, Hannah Jane Ellisen, and Louise Love Ellisen.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington, North Carolina, Thalian Hall in Wilmington, North Carolina, or the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation in Jacksonville, Florida. The service will be held at Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington, North Carolina.