Dr George David Huffman

Dr. George David Huffman went to his Heavenly rest on December 22nd, 2019 with family at his side. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife and sweetheart Judith Anne Gunter, his beloved parents Otho Clarence Huffman and Margaret Ruth Nicholson Huffman, his beloved in-laws John Hubert Gunter and Beatrice Gertrude Rollyson Gunter, and his beloved brother-in-law Dr. John Lee Gunter. Born in Huntington, WV on May 26th, 1939, he grew up there and graduated from West Huntington high school. He played basketball and baseball there, but was an accomplished tennis player, having been taught and coached by his Dad. He was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church. He was interested in engineering and aviation from a young age. He also began a lifelong passion for cars at a young age, working from childhood as a paperboy and saving enough money to buy his very first car when he got his license. He met and grew up with lifelong friends such as Owen “Buddy” Duncan, Jr. He attended Marshall University on a full ride tennis scholarship and studied engineering. He was President of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity chapter there. At Marshall, he met and married Judith Anne Gunter of St. Albans, WV and they started their married lives in Columbus, Ohio. He earned his MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering (with an emphasis on aeronautical engineering) from the Ohio State University. He then worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base at the Propulsion Laboratory. Here, he and his colleagues were some of the first computer programmers, writing programs on punch cards in assembly language and FORTRAN. There he met lifelong friends Dick Rivir, Fritz Ostdiek, Lloyd Hedgepeth, and Roger Gallington. After having daughters Jane Ellen Huffman Hayes (Greg) and Sara Beth Huffman Miller (Eric), he and Judy moved to Indianapolis. While there, the family took two one-year sabbaticals: to London, England in 1969 where he undertook an elite post-doctoral fellowship at Imperial College; and to Monument, Colorado in 1978 where he was a visiting researcher at the Air Force Academy. There the family attended Monument Community Presbyterian Church. In Indianapolis, he worked for Detroit Diesel Allison where he helped design the V6 engine. He then transitioned to the Indianapolis Center for Advanced Research where he worked as the Center Fellow. He also began working with the Computer Science department of Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. He became Department Chair. The family attended Fairview Presbyterian Church. He and Judy were active in the Butler Tarkington Neighborhood Association, an organization dedicated to the racial integration of Indianapolis neighborhoods. He was an active member of an inter-racial tennis club, traveling to various cities to play competitive tennis, breaking many racial barriers. His doubles partner was also his good friend and colleague at Allison, Dee Adams. They also met lifelong friends the Hendersons and the Osgoods. The family moved to Hattiesburg, MS in 1984 when he landed the position of Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). Here he met his earth son (“found” here on earth versus by birth) Joseph Macon Chancey, Jr. He also met lifelong friends Jim and Mary Ann Schnur, Carolyn and Allan Nation, and Al and Cecile Leybourne. He was promoted to Vice President of Academic Affairs and particularly enjoyed working with President Aubrey Lucas. He stepped back to the faculty a few years before retiring and enjoyed working with Johnny Walker to set up a contract with the Army in Huntsville, AL that established a signal processing research center in Hattiesburg. He continued his passion for tennis and cars and expanded his interests to motor homes and golf. He converted to Catholicism and was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas where he particularly enjoyed Father Mike, Sister Annette, and Father Tommy. In 2002, he and Judy retired to Powell County, KY, moving closer to their daughters and precious grandchildren Chelsea Anne Hayes Clark (James), Alexander Huffman Schnur (Bailey), and David Lee Hayes (Kelsey). Here he found his earth daughter Kelly Ann Noss and special friends Dr. Charles G. Noss, Anne Noss, Father Al Fritsch, Ray Proffit, Jesse Hale, and Darrell Billings. He also met his earth grandchildren, Hannah Elizabeth Marcum Brewer and Joshua Shane Brewer. He took great joy in his grandchildren: watching Chelsea Anne dance in recitals and helping her with physics, watching her graduate from college; watching Alex play drums and perform some of his own songs as the opening act for Foreigner after winning the Battle of the Bands, watching him graduate from high school and college; watching David Lee play in the Kentucky State baseball tournament, watching him graduate from high school; watching Hannah graduate from high school, watching her eat her first bites of meat at Kathy’s Country Kitchen. He became a member of Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church and particularly enjoyed Father Al, Sister Mary Jane, and Gene Alway. Though he stopped playing tennis in Mississippi, he continued his passion for golf (and cars from Tanner Dodge, and motorhomes). He was the President of the Beechfork Golf Club for several years. He enjoyed his daily golf outings and regaling his family with the notable events of the links. He particularly enjoyed playing golf with his son-in-law Eric and the family golf competitions vying for the Huffman Family Cup (which he ultimately won and proudly displayed on the fireplace). He was a member of the Powell County Lions Club. He enjoyed his First Friday outings with Doc and Anne Noss, Cebert and Karen Gilbert, and Linda and Darryl Abner. He was a member of the Writers Club at Our Lady of the Mountain Catholic Church and enjoyed their monthly meetings. He was proud of the FORTRAN textbook he co-wrote, the hundreds of research papers he authored, and he enjoyed encouraging the other members of the group. He is survived by his beloved daughters Jane and Sara, his precious grandchildren Chelsea, Alex, and David, his great grandsons Sylas and Wyatt, his beloved son-in-laws Greg and Eric, his beloved brother Timothy Carpenter Huffman (Debbie) and his family, his beloved brother-in-law Johnny Gunter's family, his earth children Jody and Kelly, and his special friends Dr. Charles Noss, Anne Noss, Father Al Fritsch, Ray Profitt, Jesse Hale, Darrell Billings, the Gilberts, the Abners, Sheila Barnett, the Duncans, the Henderson family, the Osgood family, the Rivir family, the Ostdiek family, the Hedgepeth family, the Gallington family, the Schnur family, the Nations, the Leybournes, all his Church family, and all his wonderful friends over the years. Funeral services Saturday, December 28,10:00AM Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, Stanton. Visitation Friday 5-7pm Davis and Davis Funeral Home. Burial in Stonegate Cemetery with Greg Hayes, Eric Miller, David Hayes, Alex Schnur, James Clark, and Jody Chancey serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers serving, Dr. Charles Noss, Wyatt Clark, members of Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, members of the Beechfork Golf Club, and all of his special friends. www.ddfh.net

Dr George David Huffman

May 26, 1939 - December 22, 2019