Obituary of Jean Hughes Sim

Jean Hughes Sim, age 95, died on February 28, 2025 peacefully in Basking Ridge with family at her side.  She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend with a quick wit and wonderful sense of humor.

Jean was born February 3, 1930 in the Bronx, New York, the youngest child of George and Helen Hughes. She graduated from Walton High School, the first in her family to do so and began work as a secretary.  In 1950 she married Warren Sim.  After starting their family, they moved to Union, NJ to raise their three daughters.  As a stay-at-home mom, Jean was a wonderful homemaker, a terrific cook and sewed many beautifully items of clothing for herself and her girls.

As the girls got older, Jean went back to work as an executive secretary.  She worked her way up in several companies and was a purchasing manager for a chemical and dye firm in Newark, NJ when she retired.

Jean and Warren had a wonderful 64 year marriage before his passing in 2014.  They loved to travel with friends, visiting Scotland, Ireland, Chamonix, and many locations throughout the US.  Jean and Warren were both caring and involved grandparents, attending many school concerts, theater performances, and sporting events for their grandchildren.  They also loved entertaining and belonged to several monthly dinner clubs.

Jean was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield for over 65 years where she served as Deacon and Elder.  She was also a longtime volunteer at Overlook Hospital.

She is survived by her three daughters Janet Dean and her husband, Keith, of Wilmington, Delaware; Deborah Mikijanic and her husband, Eugene, of New Providence, New Jersey; and Nancy Kilroy and her husband, Kevin, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey. She was the loving grandmother of Kirsten Dean Weigert (Denis), Brittany Dean Filer (Alex), James Mikijanic (Cristina), Katherine Kilroy and Rebecca Kilroy and great-grandmother of Colin, Brianna, and Ryan Weigert, Maia, Serafina and Xavier Mikijanic, and Calvin Filer.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday March 15, 2025 at 11:00AM at the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield 210 Morris Ave. Springfield, NJ 07081. 

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Jean’s name to Caring Hospice 1090 King Georges Post Rd Ste 708 Edison, NJ 08837 or the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield 37 Church Mall Springfield, NJ 07081.