Marta Eden Harkins

HARKINS

MARTA EDEN HARKINS

Marta Harkins (née Edén) passed away on Saturday, April 2, 2022 in McLean, Virginia surrounded by her devout family, and amazing friends and caregivers from around the community.

Marta was born in Åsele, a small city in Northern Sweden. Marta's late parents, her father Elias and his wife Maria (née Westman) brought her into their bourgeoning family of one brother and five sisters, all respectively of late; Olle Edén, Karin Olson, Inga Arnevall, Greta Åkermark, Annastina Berglund and Birgitta Nordfeldt. The house of Edén consisted of their ownership of the General Store in Åsele and their residence above it. The building has undergone restoration and is now an official Swedish Historic Site.

Marta immigrated to New York at the age of 22 after completing university in Stockholm, adventurously chasing her older sister Karin. She was employed in positions at a Swedish gift shop; at a manufacturer of forward modern design coffee pots; and, at B. Altman.

At the age of 30 in Greenwich Village, Marta met and shortly thereafter married James (Jim) P. Harkins. Their marriage was founded on amazing zeal and strength over 56 years. With Jim at her side Marta brought two children into the world, first a daughter Marian and secondly a son Paul, together raising their family first in Croton and Peekskill, New York and later in Arlington, Virginia.

Marta combined motherhood with being a tax accountant for H&R Block, running for local office, and starting and succeeding with her own tax accountancy. Marta enjoyed a lengthy tenure of volunteer work and was recognized by the County of Arlington, Virginia naming her Woman of the Year. Marta volunteered at the former Arlington Hospital now Virginia Hospital Center. She was an avid participant of Soroptimist International of Arlington, Virginia; of the Presbyterian Church; and headed the low vision support group in her retirement community, Vinson Hall.

Marta's surviving family members include her son Adrian and his wife Birgitta of Stockholm, Sweden; her daughter Marian of Reston, Virginia; her son-in-law Roger of Reston, Virginia; her son Paul and his wife Ania of Virginia Beach, Virginia; her daughter-in-law Susan of Hillsboro, Virginia; her nine grandchildren – Anna, Malin, James and his wife Haley, Jorden, Sarah, Joseph, Grace, Genevieve and Josephine; her great granddaughter Lycke; and great-grandsons Trey and Mans Adrian.

A memorial service celebrating Marta's life will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 2 p.m. in the Chapel at Vinson Hall in McLean, Virginia. In lieu of flowers or other offerings of remembrance, please consider a donation to the Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation (NMCRGRF) a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the Vinson Hall Retirement Community, which is a Life Plan Community.