Virginia E. Hukill

Virginia Ellen (Moritz) Hukill, also known as “Ginny” passed away peacefully on July 6, 2025 after an 8-year journey with Alzheimer's disease. Up until the end Ginny maintained her kindness, grace, raw sense of humor and love of family and friends. She passed away on what would have been the 72nd anniversary of her marriage to her late husband Henry (Hank) Hukill Jr (Capt. USN retired).

Ginny’s life can best be encapsulated by five "F" words: Family, Friends, Food, Faith and Four-legged critters. In her 92 years here she experienced an abundance of each. 

Family: Ginny was born to Charles and Bertha Moritz on Jan 15, 1933 in South Bend, IN. Ginny leaves her beloved family of 6 children, Mark (Mary) Hukill of Annandale VA, Matt (Debbie) Hukill of Myrtle Beach SC, Meredith (Ken) Ingersoll of Louisa, VA, Monte (Gage) Hukill of North Myrtle Beach SC, Mitch (Tina) Hukill of Lancaster, PA and Missy (Roy) Hukill Kohler of Red Lion, PA. She also leaves 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, her two brothers, Pat Moritz of South Bend, IN and Jim (Ginger) Moritz of South Bend, IN; sister-in-law, Verna-Jean Moritz of Arlington, TX and several nieces and nephews. Pre-deceasing Ginny was her beloved husband, Henry (Hank) Hukill Jr (Capt. USN Retired), her son, 2ND Lt. Maurice Hukill (Killed in Action in Beirut, Lebanon 10/23/83) and her brother, Charles Moritz Jr.

Ginny attended and graduated from Central High School in South Bend, Indiana where she was elected vice-president of her class and earned many accolades including varsity cheerleader and most Friendly Student. Ginny always knew she wanted to someday raise a family of her own. She ran into her neighbor, Henry Hukill, Sr. at their roadside mailbox in 1953. He was looking for a date for his son, Henry Jr. for a Naval Academy formal dance and she agreed. She (and Henry Jr.) knew they had each met the person with whom they would build their family. According to Ginny, it was either that or join a Nunnery! They were married on July 6, 1953. Ginny and Hank then started their lifelong journey as a Navy Family, which encompassed nearly 20 family moves over the first 25 years. Upon Hank’s retirement from the Navy, they settled in Elizabethtown, PA for the next 45 years. They maintained a loving and supportive marriage of 53 years up until Hank’s passing in 2006. They regularly engaged with their large extended family at the family cottage on Beech Island, bordered by the Susquehanna River and Three Mile Island. Many lifelong memories were made there, including the reenactment of their wedding vows on their 40th wedding anniversary. 

Friends: Ginny cherished her friendships, developing them at each stage of her life, with most of these lasting the remainder of her life. At the time of her passing, Ginny still had friendships that she developed in high school, as a Navy wife and as a neighbor across many states. From parents of her children's friends and through her association with organizations such as Gold Star Mothers, Friends of TMI, The “Mother Truckers” and local bridge groups, Ginny’s friendships encompassed all aspects of life, and each was special to her. From phone call chats to joint family outings, to sharing informal and formal meals and entertaining, to class reunions, to adventures near and far, to helping in times of sadness and difficulty, Ginny was up for it all. She was known not just for enjoying her friendships, but for being a good friend as well. She was the friend who would drive you to your doctor appointment just as freely as she would join you for lunch. Ginny knew that friendships, like gardens, take work to maintain and she was willing to put in the effort, thus got to reap the rewards. 

Food: Ginny was known for being an excellent cook. She delighted in preparing tasty food to share with her family and friends! Teaching herself to cook via her vast cookbook collection, Ginny took great care in making sure to always use the freshest ingredients frequenting various stores and local farmer's markets. Whether it was a bag lunch for her children, a family dinner, a gathering on Beech Island, cookies or cakes for the school fundraiser, a dinner party with friends or a holiday feast, Ginny could be counted on to cook something amazing and delicious because it was always prepared not only with her vast skill, but also with boundless love. She was known for her well-balanced meals, which always included a fresh vegetable and a special “toast” to an unsuspecting guest at her table. Her ability to prepare complicated dishes and create beautiful, inviting meal presentations and table settings was a skill she mastered. It was always a treat to sit at Ginny’s table! 

Faith: Ginny was a member of the Catholic faith from a young age and for the last 45 years she was a parishioner of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Elizabethtown, PA. She found joy in prayer, strength in scripture, and peace in the promises of eternal life. She shared her faith through kindness, compassion, and an unyielding trust in God’s plan. As a mother, she raised her children in the ways of the Lord, teaching them to love, to serve, and to trust in Him always. She found comfort in verses such as 2 Timothy 4:7—"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." She now rests in the arms of the Savior, free from pain and sorrow, rejoicing in the presence of the Almighty.

Four-Legged Critters: Ginny maintained a boundless love for her four-legged pets over the years. From a young age in South Bend she trained and nurtured her beloved Golden Retrievers. This passion carried over for the balance of her life as she also taught her seven children the joy of having pets to share their lives with. As of her passing, she had a role in the lives of over 30 dogs and cats. Of course all of their names began with the letter “M” and to this day we still have no idea why. As God welcomes Ginny into his Kingdom of Heaven, all of those family and friends who have already passed will be there to greet her, as will all of her beloved Four-Legged Critters.

Ginny was a gem of a person who appreciated all that life gave her. Even in her diminished state near the end of her life, she quickly made friends in her memory care facility, Country Meadows at Leader Heights, PA. Ginny became a favorite of the care-giving staff with her quick wit and humor. She truly embodied the adage of a life well lived.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, August 25, at 2PM, in Arlington National Cemetery, 1 Memorial Ave., Arlington, VA 22211. Virginia will be buried next to her husband, Hank and near their son, Maurice. A celebration of life will follow at The Liberty Tavern at 3195 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to:

Humane Pennsylvania at humanepa.org