COLUMBIA CITY - Joe Eugene Huffman, 84, of Columbia City, and formerly of South Whitley, died at 3:40 p.m. Oct. 13, 2010, at Peabody Retirement Community, North Manchester.
He was born Sept. 28, 1926, in North Manchester, to Grover Cleveland and Myrtle Shireman Huffman. On July 3, 1945, at Silver Lake, he married Helen Louise Brandenburg, who survives.
He lived in Akron and South Whitley and in December 1991 moved to Columbia City. For many years he spent summers at Ponderosa Camp, rural North Webster. He graduated from Akron High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Army. He owned and operated Huffman Trucking and Hauling, delivering coal, hogs and grain. He then went to work for Leckrone Hardward, Akron, and in 1954, purchased Matson Hardware (later becoming Huffman-Deaton Hardware) for 31 years, retiring in 1985. As a retirement job he worked 15 years as a courier for Whitley Manufacturing, South Whitley. He was a member of Cleveland Township Fire Department, where he served for 25 years and during that time he was fire chief and secretary; Eel River Masonic Lodge 510, where he served as secretary for 17 years and was past worshipful master; South Whitley Church of the Brethren, where he was the secretary of the board; South Whitley Chamber of Commerce, where he served as past president; South Whitley American Veterans; and for 37 years he was a member of American Legion Post 253, North Webster, and Post 98 American Legion, Columbia City. He was also a lifetime member of South Whitley Veterans of Foreign Wars and a charter member of New Hope Wesleyan Church, where he joined in 1993-1994.
Also surviving are a daughter, Carolyn Sue Rozow, North Webster; a son, Jay Alan (and spouse Susan) Huffman, Columbia City; seven grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by three brothers and four sisters.
Services will be at 10 a,m, Monday at DeMoney-Grimes Countryside Park Funeral Home, Columbia City, with Pastors Jason Tash and Barry Faucett officiating. Burial will be in South Whitley Cemetery.
Calling is from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
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Memorials by may be given to the New Hope Wesleyan Church Building Fund.
