Sgt. Varanda Lucraious (Jones) Huffman

“No farewell words were spoken, No time to say "Goodbye".

You were gone before I knew it, and only God knows why.

My heart still aches with sadness, and secret tears still flow.

What it meant to love you - No one can ever know.”

Sgt. Varanda Lucarious Jones Huffman of Stafford, Virginia and formerly of Jacob City, Florida went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 31, 2019 in Stafford, Virginia.

Varanda was reared the early years of her life by her loving and devoted grandparents: the late Garfield and Pearl Jones.

She confessed Christ at an early age and was baptized and joined Saint Mary Missionary Baptist Church, Jacob City, Florida under the leadership of the late Reverend R.C. McGriff.

She attended grade school at Cottondale, Florida until her teens. Being military, her family relocated to Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. They later were reassigned to Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma, here she graduated high school in 1985. After high school she attended the University of Oklahoma.

Being inspired by her fathers’ loyalty to serve his country in the United States Air Force, she too felt the desire and joined. Varanda served her country from 1987 until 1991, and received a honorable discharge. She was a Air Traffic Control Operator at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. She was awarded numerous citations including an early promotion to E-4; Air Traffic Controller of the Year (1990)-for the entire Air Training Command.

Varanda continued her education and received her Bachelor Degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1992.  In 2001, she was ordained as a minister at Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist  Church in Aurora, Colorado. She was employed in various capacities with the Federal Aviation Administration since May of 2001. Her last duty was Management and Program Assistant in the Flight Standards Office of Flight Technologies in Washington, D.C.

Varanda was united in Holy Matrimony to Byron K. Huffman on December 12, 1991 in Agana, Guam. To this union was blessed with two beautiful children: Alexis and Brandon.

Varanda leaves cherished memories to her son, Brandon Karl Huffman of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; daughters: Alexis Nicole Huffman, Reston, Virginia and Kendra Dionne Huffman, Las Vegas, Nevada;  one granddaughter: Brennan Karlisle Huffman; a special and caring husband, Byron K. Huffman, Tampa, Florida; loving mother and father: Pensula “Pennie” Stewart (Framan), Lynn Haven, Florida and Louis Shack (Yvonne), Upper Marlboro, Maryland; four sisters: Raven Stewart, Lynn Haven, Florida, LaJuanta Shack, Landria Shack and Lenesha Shack all of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; aunts and uncles: Mary White (Robert), Cottondale, Florida, Addie Sue Pyles (James), Jacob City, Florida, Carolyn Holmes (Harold), Newport News, Virginia, Marion Jones, Cottondale, Florida, Karen Ming, Germany, Helen Ming, Marianna, Florida, Lynda Ming, Arizona, Mattie McCallister (Reverend Arlester), Marianna, Florida, Dannie Jones (Keta), Leesville, Louisiana, Theodore Ming, Marianna, Florida, Norris Ming (Anna), Clarksville, Tennessee, William Ming (Denise), Byron, Georgia and Isaac Ming, Marianna, Florida; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relative and friends.

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