Benna Mae Hughey

Oct 10, 1949 -

May 21, 2020

Benna Mae (Montgomery) Hughey, age 70, passed away on May 21, 2020, at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. Benna was born in Cordova, Alaska, on Oct. 10, 1949, to Arthur and Viola (later Tiedeman) Montgomery.

Benna was lucky to have loved and married two wonderful men. She was raised in Cordova where she met her first husband, Raymond Vlasoff. They raised four beautiful daughters and were married for 18 years until he passed away in 1986. She later married Charlie Hughey in 1991.

Benna was able to stay at home and raise her daughters until becoming a widow in 1986. She worked for many years for the State of Alaska at the Harborview Memorial Hospital in Valdez. Benna then worked at Valdez Native Tribe for 23 years and as the president until her retirement in 2013. She also served on several Alaska Native Boards.

Those that knew her were lucky to have enjoyed her cooking and baking. Her fried chicken dinners and homemade bread will be missed by everyone. Benna enjoyed commercial fishing, smoking and canning fish, camping, and taking wildlife viewing drives with her husband Charlie. She also had a talent for crocheting and knitting. Benna was a member of the Pioneers of Alaska Women's Igloo #2 and the FOE, Ladies Auxiliary #1971 in Valdez.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Raymond Vlasoff; her father, Arthur (Ben) Montgomery; mother, Viola Tiedeman; siblings, Peter Nippell, Michael Montgomery and Susan Day; and grandson, James Angaiak. She is survived by her husband, Charles Hughey; daughters, Sandra Montgomery (Michel Welch), Angela Norenberg (Ben), Jenette Vlasoff (Shawn Barnes) and Venessa Irons (Brad); eight grandchildren, Nathan Kirsch, Kyle Kirsch, Karen (Baby'O) Thomas, Benna Norenberg, Ian Angaiak, Stephanie Vlasoff, Justin Barnes and Jada Barnes; and four great-grandchildren, Carson Thomas, Ashlynn Foli, River Kirsch and Brook Kirsch. She is also survived by her siblings: Lloyd Montgomery, GayDell Trumblee, Louise Carpenter, Gladys Hoyla, Art Tiedeman, Willie Tiedeman and Richard Tiedeman; and many nieces and nephews. Her presence from all our lives will be dearly missed.

There will be a private memorial service held at Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E Street in Anchorage, on June 1, 2020, at 12 p.m. The burial service will be held immediately following at Anchorage Memorial Cemetery where she will be laid to rest near her mom. Later in the day, friends and family are welcome to attend a celebration of life at O'Malley's on the Green between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.