Mabel Virginia Huffman

Mabel Virginia Reed Huffman, age 98, peacefully passed away surrounded by her loving family on Friday, September 11, 2020 at her daughter’s home in Bel Air, MD. She left this earthly body and went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She is free of pain and discomfort and has a superior mind. She has joined hands with her loving husband, Rex, and is with her Mommy and Daddy and all her siblings that left before her. She was the last of the Reed Family to join the family circle.

She was born on January 16, 1922 to John Marshall Reed and Rena Armita Belinda Louetisha Bare Reed. She was raised on Cranberry Creek Road in Laurel Springs, NC. Her heart never left the hills of NC even though she has lived in Maryland the last few years of her life.

Mabel died the way she lived, quiet and peaceful. God whispered Mabel it is your turn and she departed to her heavenly home. Mom was a true believer in Jesus Christ. He was her personal friend and Savior.

Mom was a simple woman who dedicated her life to supporting her husband, raising her girls and caring for her mother and sister, Kathern.

She was a quiet soul who poured out her most inner thoughts in her diaries that she kept for over 40 years. She has left behind a beautiful legacy.

Mabel married Rex Huffman on December 23, 1939. During the early years of their marriage they lived between North Carolina and Maryland. They finally settled in Perryman, Maryland in 1955. Mabel worked on a sewing line for 25 years at the Bata Shoe Factory in Aberdeen, Maryland.

In her childhood years she lived in her cherished North Carolina. She was raised on a farm by a Bible believing, hardworking mom and dad that she loved dearly. Her parents were farmers. Mabel, at 4’11”, was the shortest and smallest of all her siblings. She worked extremely hard on her parent’s farm working in the fields, gardening, milking cows, tending to the chickens and pigs, carrying water, gathering firewood, and numerous other chores. This is why she had incredible strength in her hands.

Mabel and Rex had three daughters, Charlotte Virginia, Brenda Lee and Teresa Lynn. In her early years, mom sewed clothes for her three girls. Many Easter outfits were made with her gentle hands. She sewed without a pattern. Brenda still remembers the little outfit she made for her out of old clothes that was handed down to mom from an elderly lady. Charlotte got mom’s talent when it came to sewing. She still honors mom’s skills to this day.

Mabel was an awesome cook. Not a big fancy cook, but a down home country cook. She prepared homemade biscuits from a flour bowl adding what ingredients she needed to always create delicious biscuits. Fried chicken, and always creamed gravy, and pot roasts were some of her wonderful meals. They would melt in your mouth.

Mabel loved to care for animals, especially dogs and cats. She was so kind to them. I would say she loved dogs the best, but one of her cats weighed 30 pounds. The stray cats would never go hungry either.

Mabel was the wife of Pastor Rex Huffman. He was the pastor of Stepney Faith Center until his tragic passing on September 20, 1977. Mabel has attended church all her life and was a born again Christian and believed in a direct and personal relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Mabel is survived by her three daughters, Charlotte V. Anthony (Ronald) of Bel Air; Brenda L. Hanzlik (William) of Edgewood; Teresa L. Porter (Jimmy) of Bel Air.

She was blessed with four grandchildren, Marsha K. Plank (Michael) of Havre de Grace; Karen L. Gutowski (Darin) of Bel Air; William C. Grace (aka Little Bill) (Meredith) of Phoenix, Arizona; and Anita L. Rose (David) of Port Deposit; and five great-grandchildren, Kady Lipson (Adam) of Bel Air; Scott W. Kampes in Heaven; Martin W. Gutowski (Natalie) of Bel Air; Nicholas J. Kampes of Havre de Grace and Meghann L. Rose of Conowingo and two great great grandchildren Charlotte Bella Lipson and Viviana Caroline Lipson of Bel Air.

In addition to her parents and all her siblings she was preceded in death by her husband, Pastor Rex Huffman and her beloved great grandchild Scott W. Kampes.

The family would like to extend special thanks to the staff at Harford Memorial Hospital for their exceptional care during her last few days on this earth, to the Citizens Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for their dedicated care and love for our mommy. To the Amedisys Hospice for their caring staff that helped mom transition from this world to her heavenly home.
Mabel will be so deeply missed by the friends and family that mourn her loss.