With profound sadness we announce the unexpected passing of Nancy Beth Hester Huggins Nelms, our loving and devoted mother and friend to all whose lives she touched, on Friday, October 1, 2021.  She left us in her 89 ^th year.

She was born November 10, 1931 in Fairmont, NC to the late Carson R. Hester and Christine McDaniel Hester. She was the beloved wife of the late Jack P. Huggins and the late Howard M. Nelms.  She was the mother of Paul C. (Barbara), Thomas A., Philip H., David C., and Nancy McRainey (John). She was a cherished grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. All of these she loved and touched deeply.

Nancy spent her early childhood years as a resident at Oxford Orphanage in Oxford, NC following the divorce of her parents. Those were the lean years, the Great Depression, and Nancy's mother felt that Nancy could receive a more stable and secure upbringing at Oxford until that point in time that she was able to get back on her feet again and bring her daughter home. It was at Oxford that Nancy learned the virtues of a Christian life and the life-long compassion for all of God's creation. At age 10 she was able to return home to Lumberton, NC to reunite with her mother again. She met and married Jack after he returned from Europe, after serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. Her early career as a young mother was spent helping others in the healthcare field, working for the late Dr. Arthur Roland Pittman. With the growth of her family, she soon joined husband Jack in the management of Star Shoe Shop, Inc. on W. Fourth Street in Lumberton. Star Shoe Shop was established in 1924 and served the Huggins family for three generations before closing business in 1998. She and Jack also managed several farm operations and were familiar fixtures at tobacco warehouses and auctions during the annual harvest season.

First and foremost, she was a dedicated mother. She treasured her children and embraced every moment with them.  Her vivacious and generous personality always put people at ease and joy in their hearts. She made friends everywhere she went and her customers at Star Shoe Shop loved her as well. In 1969, her interest in antiques led her to partner with Elizabeth Grierson Ward in establishing an estate sales and liquidations business which continues to thrive today and is operated by her son, Philip.

After the passing of her first husband, Jack, in 1985, Nancy met and married Howard and moved to Peachtree City, GA. There she and Howard spent two decades enjoying their retirement and making new friends. With encouragement from Howard, she took up the game of golf in order for them to spend more time together and enjoy their senior years. Having never played the game before, her persistence and competitive spirit honed her skills to the point of placing her consistently as a top-ranking player in regularly held statewide and club tournaments. During her golfing years she was also recognized for scoring two certified holes-in-one. Following the death of Howard, she returned to North Carolina to be closer to her now adult children and her grandchildren. She resided a number of years in Pinehurst until physical health issues brought her back to Lumberton. She was a resident of Wesley Pines Retirement Community at the time of her passing. Her son, David, still resides at and maintains the Pinehurst home.

We, the Huggins children and extended family, will always cherish our memories of "Memommy". There are so many and there will never be enough. She taught and instilled in each of us the need to be compassionate and humble, to help one another, and to always do good deeds. Her developmental years growing up at Oxford helped shape and mold her into a young girl who would grow into a woman driven by a generous and servant heart for helping those in need and those who may just need a smile or a hug because they are having a bad day.  That is who she was.

All fond memories, however, are not on the most cherished list. One memory in particular that the five Huggins children will always reflect on as a "blessing in disguise" was Mom's change of spirit whenever she was having a bad day herself.  Raising four boys and one girl can be a challenge and, occasionally, Mom's patience threshold would reach its limit. The tell-tale sign was that she would start singing, at the top of her lungs, the popular hymn by Eliza E. Hewitt, where the chorus goes "Will there be any stars in my crown?". When those words rang out throughout the house, we five little ones knew it was high time to run for cover!  And you better believe it, we did!  At that age we didn't know what kind of stars and crown she was singing about but we definitely knew that we could all soon be seeing stars in our own little noggins if we didn't tighten up. The blessing in disguise was knowing that those words meant that we had better settle down a little and give Mom some peace and quiet time for herself.  After all, she was usually cooking us a good supper and that was just the therapy she needed to catch her second wind because there were still dishes to wash and laundry to do before bedtime. Mom would always be in a much better mood when she saw our empty dinner plates, our full tummies, and the smiles on our faces. And without an ounce of guilt in our hearts, our little voices would sing a chorus of our own ...… "Thank you Momma!  That was sooo good!  Now let us wash the dishes for you tonight."  What we didn't realize at the time was that she was engendering each of us with the same core values and character traits that she chose to live by …… and they stuck. Memommy, we know you are now wearing your crown … and it's chock full of heavenly stars!  And it looks sooo good on you!

Thank you for being our Momma, Memommy, Great-Memommy, Great-Great-Memommy, and also our friend.  You were a blessing and a gift.  We love you forever.

Please join us in celebrating her life on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 2:00 PM at Chestnut Street United Methodist Church in Lumberton, NC. A time of visitation will take place prior to the memorial service from 1:00-2:00 PM.

Entombment will be at a later date at Meadowbrook Cemetery Mausoleum in Lumberton, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a contribution in her memory to: Boys & Girls Homes of NC, Inc. at Lake Waccamaw or to a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be mailed to: PO Box 104, Pinehurst, NC 28374.