Audrian Huff Obituary

Audrian Huff, 84

Audrian Eleanor Huff passed away at home July 2 in Moses Lake, WA with her husband Michael Riggs at her side. She was 84. While her passing means she is no longer suffering, it leaves an absence in the hearts and lives of those who were lucky enough to call her wife, mother, grandma, or friend.



She is loved deeply and survived by her devoted partner and husband of 28 years, Michael Riggs; son, Mitch Fowler (Becki); daughter, Heather Audrian Fowler (Jim Hayhurst); grandson Brayden Fowler; and granddaughter Emmersyn Fowler. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Willard Huff.



Born on October 28, 1940, in Grangeville, ID, to Eleanor and Earl Huff, she was most commonly known as "Sweetie" by nearly everyone in town. She graduated from Grangeville High School in 1958 and went on to earn her bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho, where she was a proud member of Alpha Chi Omega. She later completed a master's degree at the University of Washington and earned her Ph.D. from Washington State University. Audrian was sharp and endlessly curious, a voracious reader who tackled the New York Times crossword in pen, sped through sudoku puzzles, and could calculate complex math in her head. She was one of the smartest people you'd meet, but rarely did she understand a dirty joke.



She was proud to be a farmer's daughter, and carried with her a strong sense of how deeply our lives are connected, and that belief in a shared responsibility to one another guided her. She became a teacher and taught junior high, high school, college, and spent more than 20 years as a school principal. When she retired and moved to Moses Lake, Audrian didn't slow down. She filled her time as a substitute school administrator, worked for the state department of education, went to Jazzercize, and volunteered at Serve Moses Lake. In her last years, she was a guardian ad litem for children in foster care. Her fierce protection of the most vulnerable was a constant, unwavering force, a legacy of compassion and advocacy that will echo far beyond her time.



In retirement, Audrian had more time to tend to her faith and became an active part of her church community. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and served as an usher, generously sharing her faith, kindness, and life experience with others.



Audrian cherished time with family and friends. She and her husband loved to travel, exploring destinations near and far, and she was always up for an outdoor adventure, so long as a hotel awaited at the end of the day. Having spent part of her childhood without running water or electricity, she often joked that was enough camping for one lifetime; if she couldn't plug in her hair dryer, she wasn't going. Though she didn't have many traditional hobbies, work was her hobby for much of her life, Audrian had a deep love for music and dancing. She taught her children to dance in the kitchen as they were growing up, and if anyone ever asked, she always said yes to a dance. The smile on her face was a reflection of the joy she felt in those moments.



When her children or friends asked for advice or needed comfort, she always said, "Sleep on it, everything looks better in the morning." And of course, she was usually right. But this time… this time, she just might be wrong.



Her ashes will be spread in her favorite places, the Camas Prairie, where she'll return home and rest beneath the vast Idaho skies for eternity–and (at least in spirit) the shoe department at Nordstrom.



Please join us in honoring Audrian's memory at a celebration of life at Moses Lake Christian Church at 1 p.m. on July 26, 2025. Bring your stories and your laughter to share, just as she would have wanted.



In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association in her honor.