Obituary of Martha Ann Van Heyde Huggins

On Thursday, June 17, 2021, Martha Ann Van Heyde Huggins, loving wife and mother of three talented children, passed away at the age of 73.

Martha was born on September 23, 1947 in Columbus, Ohio to Judge Joseph and Helen Van Heyde. She attended St. Catharine’s parish in Columbus, Ohio, St. Mary of the Springs High School in Columbus, Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio and received a master’s degree from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA.  She worked as a librarian at California Lutheran University, Pepperdine University and the Reagan Library. She volunteered extensively and received recognition and appreciation awards from the League of Women Voters, her children’s schools and various other organizations. She participated in many programs at St. Jude’s Parish in Thousand Oaks, CA. and helped found the parish library, prayer shawl group, book group and was a eucharist minister. She also volunteered to provide food to the disadvantaged at St. Vincent de Paul Pantry. She was a very generous person who always placed others before herself, had a beautiful smile and was loved by all who knew her.

On August 29, 1970, she married Joseph Huggins and they raised three loving and talented children Carolyn,  Jason,  and Jonathan.

Martha studied in France, spoke French and was a very talented writer. She played the piano and was a talented  artist who could paint, knit and sew. She was an excellent cook and created recipes that became very popular.

She is survived by her husband, Joseph, three children, Carolyn (Joe) Alexander, Jason (Kelly) and Jonathan (Dany) and four siblings two brothers – Stephen (Nan) Van Heyde and Jay (Laurie) Van Heyde, and two sisters Rosalie (Louis)  Pilliod and Mary Jo (Charles) Housley. She also is survived by five grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.