Obituary of A. Joe Huggins

A. Joe Huggins Newton Funeral services for Joe will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday, March 11, 2010, at the Pence~Reese Funeral Home in Newton, who have been entrusted with the arrangements. A visitation with the family will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 Wednesday, March 10, at the funeral home. As an expression of sympathy, memorials in Joe's name are being designated to Hospice of Jasper County or Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Joe Huggins, 84, of Kellogg, the son of Squire B. and Mayne A. (Nedderman) Huggins, was born December 11, 1925 in Lovilia, Iowa. He was a graduate of the North High School in Des Moines, Class of 1944. Joe served his country with the US Army, during World War II, and was a prisoner of war in April 1945. On January 20, 1951, Joe and Ruth Butler were married in the All Saints Catholic Church in Des Moines. In 1950, he served as a Maytag apprentice, and was a machine repairman, retiring in 1987. Joe had lived in Lovilia, Des Moines and Newton, prior to the Kellogg area. He devoted his life to his family and friends, and was a member of the American Legion Post #48 - Last Man's Club; former member of the Jasper County Men's Bowling Association; and a U.A.W. Retiree. He enjoyed his family, baseball, bowling and golf. He was a former semi pro baseball player for the Kellogg Cardinals. Joe died on Monday morning, March 8, 2010 at the Skiff Medical Center in Newton. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother Lou Huggins; sisters: Martha Page, Dorothea Davis and Edith Grimm. Those left to honor Joe's memory include his wife Ruth; daughters: Cathy (Bob) Carter of Newton and Mary (Maury) Cunningham of Lincoln, Nebraska; his son Jim Huggins of Kellogg; grandchildren: Cody Carter of Solana Beach, CA, Travis and Jenna Cunningham of Lincoln, Pvt. Caitlin Huggins of Ft. Jackson, S.C. and Nicholas Huggins of Lincoln; sisters: Margaret Clark of Waukee, Iowa, Mary Mattix of Oskaloosa, Iowa and Carolyn (Richard) Stag of Clovis, N. Mexico; a brother George (Mary) Huggins of Newton; several nieces and nephews; and many good friends. Visitation with the family will be from 6:30 - 8pm Wednesday; at Pence ~ Reese Funeral Home, 310 N. 2nd Ave. E., Newton, IA. The funeral will be Thursday at 1:00 at Pence ~ Reese Funeral Home, 310 N. 2nd Ave. E., Newton with Rev. Merle Smith, Chaplain officiating. Burial will be in Newton Union Cemetery, in Newton. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Jasper County or Sacred Heart Catholic Church