Merry Hicks Huley

Passed on May 13, 2020, in Falls Church, Virginia, surrounded by her family after a long and valiant battle with cancer. Merry was born March 23, 1941, in Birmingham, Alabama, and grew up with her parents Edwin and Ruth Hicks and her older brother Billy in Selma, Alabama. She graduated from Auburn University with an Art History major and taught briefly in Georgia. Merry then joined the Department of Defense overseas teacher program and taught for 2 years in Subic Bay, Philippines. This began her life-long love of travel. In September 1969, she transferred to Schweinfurt, Germany, to teach at the Army base there. On her first day, she met her husband to be, Bob Huley, an Army medical evacuation helicopter pilot. Merry and Bob were married in August 1970 in Selma, Alabama. When Bob left Active Duty in Germany in the summer of 1971, Merry left her DoD teaching position, and they traveled throughout Europe for 3 months in a VW camper. They returned to the US and to Northern VA, Bob’s home, after their travels and resided in the Falls Church area. Merry worked for a time in a law office and also was a partner in an art studio/gallery in Occoquan. When they were blessed with twins in 1978, she became a full-time mother. When the twins began school, Merry returned to teaching as an instructional assistant at the local elementary school, retiring in 2003. Bob retired in early 2004, and together they traveled extensively with friends, family, and members of the Lifetime Learning Institute (LLI) of Northern VA. Their many trips included cruises, bicycle tours, and visits to Europe, South America, China, and many locations in the US. Merry was very active in her church, Falls Church Presbyterian, PEO, a women’s philanthropic educational organization, and LLI. She loved music and reading and always added her artistic flair to everything she touched. Merry loved to host a party and made any occasion a celebration. Her forte was people. Her smile would light up any room. Merry’s parents and brother pre-deceased her. She is survived by her beloved husband of almost 50 years, Bob, and her daughter Helen Huley (Jan Feuchtner) and son Robert Huley (Annie Duong) and one grandson Fritz Feuchtner. She is also survived by two brothers-in-law Peter (Tracy) Huley of Beaufort, North Carolina, and Kevin (Beverly) Huley of Henrico, Virginia, a sister-in-law, Beth Stewart, of Arlington, Virginia, a sister-in-law Betty Hicks (Billy), of Selma, Alabama, and multiple nieces and nephews, and a host of devoted friends. Merry lived an extraordinary life that was ended too soon. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Anyone who would like to make a contribution in her honor may do so to Capital Caring Health or a charity of your choice. “Fill not your hearts with pain and sorrow but remember me in every tomorrow. Remember the joy, the laughter, the smiles, I’ve only gone to rest a little while. Although my leaving causes pain and grief, my going has eased my hurt and given me relief. So dry your eyes and remember me, not as I am now, but as I used to be. Because I will remember you all and look on with a smile. Understand, in your hearts, I’ve only gone to rest a little while. As long as I have the love of each of you, I can live my life in the hearts of all of you.” Poem by Joey Beighley