Marcia Joan Huddleston

LAUREL — Marcia Joan Huddleston, 89, Laurel, died March 17, 2022, at Hillcrest Care Center, Laurel.

A celebration of life service will be held for Joan and her husband, Paul, April 8, at 10:30 a.m., at the United Methodist Church, Laurel, with the Rev. Patrick Broz officiating.

Burial of their cremated remains will be at the Laurel cemetery at a later date.

Visitation will be April 7, at church 6-8 p.m., and will continue Friday morning, one hour prior to services. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Laurel.

Marcia Joan was born Dec. 31, 1932, in Ewing, to Victor Carl and Opal Fern (Brookhouser) Marquardt. She grew up in Ewing and attended K-12 grades there. She moved to Laurel in November of her senior year and graduated from Laurel High School. She also went to Wayne State College for a year. Marcia married Paul Eugene Huddleston Aug. 17, 1952, in Laurel. She and Paul moved to Cibolo, Texas, while he served in the U.S. Airforce, at Randolph Airforce Base, San Antonio, Texas.

Joan worked as a grocery clerk and also worked in the jewelry department at the Randolph Airforce Base. Joan worked in Laurel at the IGA grocery store before starting her long career at the Laurel Vet Clinic, for 23 years. She was a member of the Logan Center and Laurel United Methodist churches. She was also an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

She loved others unconditionally, especially her family. She was a mother to three children, but a ‘mom’ to dozens. She loved the Lord, was kind-hearted, full of joy, forgiving, valued work, creative, avid writer, quilter, a baker and cook who taught her granddaughters how to bake rolls. She was always making cookies and even sent them overseas when Brian was deployed. She was patient, optimistic, a noncomplainer and encourager. She was tougher than you can imagine, as she endured pain every day.

Joan enjoyed life in many ways. She loved working with her fruit trees and sharing the produce with her family and neighbors. She found genealogy fascinating and researched with her daughter-in-law the family history and made her grandchildren, genealogy picture quilts. She was an enthusiastic fan and “tolerated” going to her grandchildren’s sporting events, even though she didn’t really understand the sport, but she loved watching her grandkids.

Joan had a heart for those who struggled in life whether that was from poor choices, health or life in general. Some of her favorites included volunteering at the Laurel Concord School for the AR reading program. She enjoyed instilling the love of reading with young students. She worked many faith-based weekends at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women and continued to correspond with the inmates for many years. She was a member of the Providence Medical Center Hospice team and it was a blessing to have that Hospice team caring for her as she completed her life journey.

Joan is survived by her husband, Paul, Laurel; two children, Thomas Victor (Lori) Huddleston, Morris, Okla.; daughter, Mary Jo “Jodie” (Steve) Thompson, Laurel; five grandchildren, Amber (Tyler) Specht, Kyle (Mandi) Thompson, Alli Thompson, LCDR Robert (Heather) Huddleston, Collin (Hillary) Huddleston; 11 great-grandchildren, Zach Huddleston, Aiden and Lilly Huddleston, and Henry Huddleston; Ryleigh, Nora and Evie Specht; Kayden, Nolan, Calli and Kenzi Thompson; a brother, Dr. Victor C. (Kathy) Marquardt, Wilsonville, Ore.; as well as nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; infant son, Paul William “Billy;” grandson, Brian Joshua Huddleston; great-granddaughter, Joslynn Jo Specht; brother-in-law, Harry (Charlotte) Huddleston; and sister-in-law, Sharon (Gerald) Grimm.