Remembering Sharon Hughes, Drag Queen Nickki Stevens' Mom and Gigi's Beloved 'Purple Angel'
Hughes spent decades at her daughter's side at the Detroit bar, where a celebration of life is planned for Oct. 25
Sharon Hughes, the mother of Detroit drag icon Nickki Stevens and a fixture at Gigi's Gay Bar for nearly 30 years, died Saturday, Sept. 19. She was 80.
Her sister, Julie Harris, shared the news on Facebook, writing that Hughes died peacefully. "You will always be our sunshine sis," Harris wrote.
On social media, Gigi's nightclub, where Stevens has been a fixture since 1988, called Hughes "one of our community's true mothers," remembering her as a beloved part of the bar family and a fierce supporter of the LGBTQ+ community.
Hughes was often at Gigi's alongside her daughter. When Pride Source profiled the mother-daughter duo in 2018, Hughes was working concessions, selling jewelry and helping Stevens with everything from painting to decorating. Stevens, who has directed the club's shows since 1990, credited her mom with teaching her that honesty and hard work always win out.
Hughes, a retired charge nurse, got her start making jewelry in the late '90s while hand-stoning Stevens' costumes. That hobby grew into Purple Angel Jewelry, which she sold at the bar and at pageants. Purple was her favorite color, and she told Pride Source that every piece she made meant another angel was watching over someone in the community.
That nickname followed her. "Rest well Purple Angel," one Facebook commenter wrote. Another recalled that anyone who'd seen the shows on Gigi's lower level knew Hughes was "the life of the party" and "a fantastic woman who could make anyone smile." Others remembered buying jewelry from her over the years.
Many who knew Hughes considered her a mother of their own. DeAngela Show Shannon Jackson wrote a long Facebook tribute to the woman they called Mom for more than three decades. "You were Nickki Stevens Mom and Mom to so many," Jackson wrote. "You loved, supported, encouraged, and embraced people in a way that made them feel like family."
Stevens thanked followers for their messages and for changing their profile pictures to purple candles in Hughes' honor, adding that she's overwhelmed and needs a little time before responding to everyone.
A celebration of life is set for Sunday, Oct. 25, from 5–9 p.m. at Gigi's, with an event invitation and more details to come.
Back in 2018, Hughes summed up life with her daughter in one line. "We're hell on wheels," she said. "We have more fun than anybody."
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