Linda Hughes Davis

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of former employee Linda Hughes Davis on August 21, 2025, in Falmouth, MA.  She was 78.

Linda was born in 1947 in Newark, NJ, one of six children of the late Quentin T. Hughes and Eugenie Hughes.

Her lifelong love of horticulture was evident from a young age, leading her to pursue a degree in Botany from the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where she graduated in 1969. While at UNH, she met and married her husband, Winn Davis. Avid travelers, the two spent the next decade exploring many destinations before settling in Falmouth in 1979.

In 1983, Linda and Winn welcomed their daughter, Elizabeth.

After a stint of teaching high school level biology and chemistry at Lincoln Sudbury High School, Linda began her career at WHOI as a Research Assistant II in the Biology Department.  She was promoted several times throughout her career. In 1997, she transferred to the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department.  She retired in 2001 as a Senior Research Assistant I. After she left WHOI, she returned to education to end her career, teaching biology at Barnstable High School.

One of Linda’s greatest passions was gardening. Over the course of many years, she transformed her yard into a beautifully cultivated landscape that was enjoyed and admired by friends and neighbors alike. She was recognized with the Falmouth Garden Club’s Garden Achievement Award. Linda was also a talented knitter, and dozens of family members and friends have enjoyed her intricate creations over the years.

She leaves behind her beloved husband of 56 years, Earl Winn Davis of Falmouth, her daughter Elizabeth (Davis) Andreev and her husband Konstantin Andreev of New York City, as well as granddaughter Victoria Andreev.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Food Pantry at the Falmouth Service Center.

Information for this obituary is from the Falmouth Enterprise