Joan Huddleston

Joan Huddleston age 89 of Laurel, Nebraska died on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at Hillcrest Care Center in Laurel, Nebraska. A celebration of life service will be held for both Joan and her husband Paul on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in 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 on Thursday, April 7^th, at church, from 6-8:00 p.m. and will continue on Friday morning one hour prior to services.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Laurel. Marcia Joan was born on December 31, 1932 in Ewing, Nebraska 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 on August 17, 1952 in Laurel.  She and Paul moved to Cibolo, Texas while he served in the US Airforce, at Randolph Airforce Base in San Antonio. 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 3 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 non- complainer 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 of Laurel; two children Thomas Victor (Lori) Huddleston of Morris, OK; daughter Mary Jo “Jodie” (Steve) Thompson of 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 of Wilsonville, Oregon 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; sister-in-law Sharon (Gerald) Grimm.