Obituary – Bob D. Huffman – Christopher

Bob D. Huffman, 81, went to his heavenly hunting blind in the sky Saturday, June 22,2013, from home with his wife and daughter at his side.

He was born March 20, 1932, in Christopher to the late Joe and Clarice ( Eldridge) Huffman.

Bob married Sandra S. Marocco on Sept. 15, 1955, in Christopher.

Bob began his career as a musician at the age of 14, performing with his father, Joe; brother, Vince; Uncle Vance and Gene Flowers in Huffman’s Dixieland Jazz Band through his high school years. Along with performing, he and his family had Huff’s recording studio.

After graduating high school, Bob attended and graduated from SIU Carbondale with a bachelor’s in education. He then went on to George Peabody College, completing his master’s. He taught at Mulkeytown Grade School, Christopher Grade School, was a principal at Christopher High School, then an English teacher at Christopher High School. At the high school, he entertained his students with stories of his hunting and field trials with Nanook, his famous yellow lab. Students could get him off the subject of English for hours with his weekend field trials and hunting. Most students never called him “Mr. Huffman,” but “Dr. H.” Oh how he loved his stories and loved to tell them. Besides hunting, Bob enjoyed playing pinochle with his buddies up at the Legion.

After the Korean War, Bob served in the U.S. Army as a telecommunication officer.

He was a member of First Christian Church, American Legion, a 50-year member with Masonic Lodge, all in Christopher, and Campbell Pond Hunt Club, where he spent many hours duck, goose, rabbit and deer hunting. He touched many lives in his career and life in general and will be greatly missed.

Survivors include his wife, Sandra; daughter, Dawn Ellen Livesay; son-in-law, David Livesay; two grandsons whom he adored, Joshua D. Livesay and Nicholas J. Livesay; two sisters-in-law, Harlene Huffman and Jerilynn Williams; nieces and nephews, Ruth Ellen Gorsek, Melody Gulley, Apryl (Mark) Malkovich, David (Kelly) Easley and Angela (Ric) Thoele: great-nieces and nephews, Jonelle Birtch, Ambre (Martin) Bier, Mike Gorsek, Donnelly (Jeremy) Huie, Gretchen (John) Martin, Chase (Karen) Malkovich and Lana ( Bryson) Hammond; great-great-nieces and nephews, Sarah Ann and Nicole, Leah and Ethen, Veda, Brydon, Zackary, Spencer, Noah, Anna Lin and Autumn; and a host of friends too numerous to name.

He was preceded in death by his son, Bobby Huffman Jr.; brother, Vince; and parents, Joe and Clarice.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 26, in First Christian Church in Christopher with the Rev. Daniel Ison officiating. Burial will be in Mulkeytown Cemetery. Celebration of his life visitation will be after 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, at Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Oblong Children’s Home, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to the charity of the donor’s choice and will be accepted at the funeral home or church.