Huffman remembered with service, memorial

Oak tree planted outside building where he worked

By Kristin Pitts
Staff Writer

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Many of the friends, family and co-workers of Bruce E. Huffman gathered Thursday at the site of a freshly planted oak tree on base at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City.

The Rev. Mark Tanis led a prayer at the memorial for Huffman, a civil servant who worked as maintenance supervisor for the Facilities Engineering Division at the U.S. Coast Guard Support Center.

Huffman was killed April 10 in a motorcycle accident at the intersection of Peartree and Four Forks roads, but on Thursday, the focus was on his life and all of those who had been affected by it.

About 30 people attended the event, many expressing a range of emotions as they described a man who they recalled as “quiet,” “big hearted” and “knowledgeable.”

“When he spoke, you knew it was the truth,” Connie Guillaume, Huffman’s sister, said.

Huffman’s sister-in-law, Mary McDonald, smiled as she recalled Huffman’s dependability.

“He was a good man. If I needed something done, he’d come do it,” McDonald said.

Patsy, Huffman’s wife of 25 years, said her husband had always been a quiet, loving man.

“He was a smart man that was dedicated to his work,” Huffman said, referring to her husband’s 32-year career as a civil serviceman. The first two years of his career were spent with the Navy; the following 30 were spent with the Coast Guard. He had planned to retire in December.

Many members of the Coast Guard also were present at the service held around the tree planted in Huffman’s memory.

The grassy stretch outside Building 79 isn’t a typical place for a memorial, but Huffman’s co-workers requested that his tree be planted near the building where he worked for so many years.

For Huffman’s family, the gesture was touching.

“It was a very warm and personal thing that they’ve done,” Guillaume said.

Patsy was especially grateful, saying that the Coast Guard had been supportive during the past few months.

“They have been wonderful, and I couldn’t thank them enough,” Huffman said.

Shortly following the ceremony, Huffman said that she was still struggling with her husband’s unexpected death. She was dealt a second blow two weeks ago when her husband’s father died of cancer. Huffman said that he had been diagnosed a while back, but that his condition had worsened significantly following his son’s death. Huffman said she hopes that her husband’s death will serve as a cautionary tale to drivers, and that people will learn not to use their cell phones while driving.

“I’ll never find another one like him,” Huffman said.