Lydia Huggins Ivanditti

April 11, 1953 - December 2, 2016

IVANDITTI, Lydia Huggins, 63, of Eatonton, passed away suddenly on December 2, 2016. Lydia was the oldest of five siblings, born in Memphis, Tennessee on April 11, 1953 to Harold and Maurine Huggins. Lydia spent most of her childhood moving often to new cities and making new friends. She graduated from Winter Park High School in Florida and went on to study Finance at Florida State University. Upon graduation she settled in Atlanta, Georgia and began to build a colorful resume including a successful career in Commercial Real Estate with time spent at Cushman & Wakefield, Ewing Southeast Realty and CPI Group. Her passion for beauty lead her toward the arts where she worked at Anne Irwin Fine Art and spent time as the President of the Atlanta Gallery Association. One of her most notable successes was her role as the Director for the Plaza Fine Arts Center in Eatonton, Georgia. Lydia was a natural leader and always strived for perfection. She had an infectious personality that would light up the room. Her warm smile and big heart made her a friend to everyone she met. The pride of her life was her daughter Julia. She raised Julia with her best friend and love, Steve Scruggs, instilling a focus on Christ and family. She taught Julia that she could do anything she set her heart on. Lydia’s life was enriched further when she became a grandmother and was affectionately known as Yaya to her grandchildren Haden, Caroline and David. They were the light of her life, the apple of her eye and nothing brought her more joy. The world lost an incredible woman that was vibrant, full of life and beautiful inside and out. Heaven is a brighter place with her in it and her joyful spirit will be carried by everyone who loved her. She is preceded in death by her grandparents, RP and Ruth Berryhill and Sue Benson, neice, Erica Alecksen and father, Harold Huggins. She is survived by her husband of 20 years, best friend and then life companion, Steve Scruggs of Atlanta; daughter, Julia (Scruggs) McKelvey and son-in-law Steven and grandchildren Haden Parker, Caroline Erica and David Harrison McKelvey of Atlanta; mother Maurine Huggins of Eatonton; sister Amy (Steve) Paine of Oakhurst, CA and nephews Harold Paine and Matthew (Genesee) Paine of Moorpark, CA; sister Olivia (Mark) Rabenold and nephew Alex Rabenold and niece Andria Rabenold of Saratoga Springs, NY; sister Doria Alecksen and nephew Charles Alecksen of Eatonton, GA; brother Fred (Serena Smith) Huggins and nephew Rick Huggins and niece Victoria Huggins of Eatonton, GA; extended Scruggs family and countless additional family and friends. A visitation gathering of friends and family will take place at Northside United Methodist Church in Atlanta in the Fellowship Hall from 4-7pm on Thursday, December 8th. A Celebration of Life will be held at First United Methodist Church in Eatonton with visitation at 1pm and services at 2pm on Saturday, December 10th. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Bible Fellowship Church in Eatonton, GA. 160 Sammons Parkway E., Eatonton, GA 31024