Selena L. (Hughes) Kuch

Selena Louise (Hughes) Kuch, age 52 of Wheaton Illinois passed away peacefully at home on March 3, 2022 leaving behind her daughter Jane, son Charles and husband James. Selena was born in Atlanta Georgia to Freeman and Yvonne Hughes on April 3, 1969, the youngest of their four children; Daniel (Tracy) Hughes, Robert (Daila) Hughes and Nina Likins (Philip Rozga). As the daughter of an itinerant father, the family lived throughout the United States and Netherlands during her early years before finally settling in Libertyville IL where Selena would attend grade school through high school. It was at Libertyville High School that Selena and Jim first met and started dating. She went on to get her AS in criminology and began working at the Libertyville Police Department as a 911 operator all the while working part-time in the evenings bartending at Zanies Comedy Club, something she would continue to do for over a decade. After Selena and Jim married, they settled in Wheaton and raised their two children. After staying home to raise Jane and Charles, she re-enrolled at College of DuPage to begin prerequisites for their nursing program. Selena received her RN in 2009 from COD and began working at Rush Oak Park Hospital while continuing her education in the evenings to complete her BSN in 2011. Selena then focused on GI nursing at Northwestern Central DuPage and Edwards Hospitals as a CGRN. She was active in the fight against pancreatic cancer with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. She headed to the nation's capitol every year to lobby her congressional representatives to increase funding for finding a cure and was an advocate for her patients who were struck with the devastating disease. Her nursing career was cut short when she was diagnosed with an equally devastating disease, Glioblastoma, in the summer of 2020. An endowed scholarship was then planned by her family and funding began shortly afterwards to support returning students pursuing a career in nursing at COD ( https://foundation.cod.edu/kuch/ ) just as Selena did over a decade before.

Selena was generous, considerate and had a quick wit. She enjoyed a wide range of interests and hobbies including jewelry making, painting, knitting, calligraphy, gaming, horsemanship, and pets ranging from snakes to horses. She couldn’t resist just one more episode of a crime show, just one more cookbook, and she was an avid reader. She had also become a reluctant runner and half-marathoner. When not in scrubs, she was often seen wearing tie-dyes. She made hundreds over the years and gave them away to family, friends and co-workers—some for themed parties, some for team building, but always just for fun. Most of all, she loved cooking and many have enjoyed her home-cooked meals. She loved to entertain and most memorable were her Halloween parties. She was always willing to host a shower or retirement party for family, friends and her many colleagues in the healthcare field. Food was truly an expression of her love.

A Celebration of Selena's Life will be held on Friday, August 12th, 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. at College of DuPage McAninch Arts Center (MAC), 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.  Please RSVP Via GOOGLE FORMS . Gather with us to laugh, cry, and share memories of a woman who is greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting The Selena Kuch Nursing Scholarship, https://foundation.cod.edu/kuch/ .