Ann Hughey Sackett

Ann (Hughey) Sackett, a longtime resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, passed away in Dallas on February 17, 2026, at the age of 91, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born on May 16, 1934, in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, to Melvin John and Roberta (Woods) Hughey and was raised in Weleetka. After graduating from Weleetka High School, she attended the University of Oklahoma and the University of Tulsa, where she earned a Bachelor of Science. During a summer job at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, she met William Malcolm “Bill” Sackett, a young chemist from St. Louis, Missouri. They married in 1955 and moved to St. Louis, where Bill pursued his doctorate in chemistry at Washington University while Ann studied for her master’s degree at the Barnes Hospital School of Medical Technology. In a testament to her determination, Ann gave birth to their first daughter, Susan, just four days before her graduation exercises in 1957. In 1958, they moved to Pacific Beach, California, where Bill worked at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Missing proximity to family, they relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Bill conducted geochemical research and their second daughter, Karen, was born in 1960. The couple's love of travel and adventure led them to take advantage of the many interesting opportunities Bill's academic career presented, moving the whole family to Palisades, New York; Woods Hole, Massachusetts; Pau, France; College Station, Texas; Hanover, Germany; and finally to St. Petersburg, Florida, where they built lasting roots. Ann dedicated herself to her family as a devoted homemaker while also embracing each community in which they lived. She was known for her vibrant spirit, exceptional culinary skills, and gracious hospitality. Her competitive nature shone brightly on the tennis court, where she was known for a formidable slice and drop shot. In her later years, Ann became an accomplished potter, working from a studio next to their waterfront home in Florida, where she loved entertaining family and friends. She was an engaged and active citizen, leading the League of Women Voters in both College Station and St. Petersburg. In St. Pete, she also served on the board of the St. Pete Tennis Center, the Society for the Advancement of the Poynter Library, and worked to support her beloved historic neighborhood as part of the Driftwood Neighborhood Association. She is survived by her loving family, including daughters Susan Sackett-Wilk and her husband Greg, and Karen Sackett-Akins and her husband Dan. Ann also leaves behind three cherished grandchildren: Hannah Kathryn Wilk, Andy Akins, and Sam Akins and his wife, Becca Akins. Other survivors include niece Melissa Hughey Dennis and her husband Peter Dennis; nephew Travis Hughey; cousins Scott Woods, Nancy LaFevers, and Marty Cavanaugh; and brother-in-law Donald Sackett Sr. and family. She was preceded in death by her brother John Hughey, her husband, Dr. William M. Sackett, and nephew Jay Hughey. Graveside services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Weleetka, Oklahoma, under the direction of Rogers Funeral Home. A celebration of life will be held in St. Petersburg, Florida, later this spring. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made in her name to the tree-planting fund, Town of Weleetka, 120 W 8th St, Weleetka, OK 74880 or to the St. Pete Tennis Center https://stpetetenniscenter.com/donations/

Ann Hughey Sackett

May 16, 1934 - February 17, 2026