L.C. "Huff" Hufferd, 95, of Center, passed away Monday, February 16, 2009 at Green Acres Nursing Center.

Visitation will be Tuesday, February 17th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Watson & Sons Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, February 18th at the First United Methodist Church in Center with Rev. Greg Megill officiating. Interment will follow at Oaklawn Memorial Park.

He was born February 19, 1913, in Iola, Kansas, the third child of Frank Elmer Hufferd and Lillie Mae Vancil Hufferd. When Lillie Mae died in 1916, Frank left Lowell, Francis and Farrell with Lillie's sister, Coca, and her husband Jesse Howard. Lowell grew up in Iola in the Howards' home.

When he was 17 he moved to Dallas to join his brother and began working as an apprentice butcher. He met his future bride, Ople, in the fall of 1931 on a double date at the Texas State Fair. They enjoyed a roller coaster ride together that lasted 70-plus years. Huff and Cordious Ople Verner married September 17, 1933.

Huff worked as a butcher, a grocery wholesale deliverer, a restaurant owner and operator and a grocery store manager, among other occupations. He joined the army in 1943 and attained the rank of Master Sergeant. He returned home from England in 1945 on the Queen Elizabeth with 14,000 other troops, and was honorably discharged. He enlisted in the Army Ready Reserve in 1952 and was discharged in 1955.

Huff and Ople lived in various places besides Dallas and several army camp towns, including Brownsville, where their son Lowell Clifton Hufferd, Jr. "Top" was born, and Greenville, where their daughter, Nancy, was born.

In 1954, the Hufferds moved to Center where Huff managed the Piggly Wiggly grocery store and was involved with the Lions Club, the Chamber of Commerce, DECA, the Lake Country Inn development, and the First United Methodist Church as a board member, trustee, and Sally Burns Sunday School Class president. He and Ople also enjoyed golf, fishing, boating, traveling with friends, and Huff was a member of the Center Hunt Club.

His family and friends will miss him, but rejoice that he is now in the presence of his Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is survived by:

Wife, Ople Hufferd of Center

Son, Lowell "Top" Hufferd, Jr. & wife Evelyn of Center

Daughter, Nancy Hufferd Holmes & husband Stephen of Bailey, Colorado

Grandchildren:
Lowell "Ted" Hufferd & wife Holly of Keller
Rebekah Durham & husband Mark of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sarah Roslund & husband Gavin of Littleton, Colorado

Great Grandchildren:
Kennedy Logan Hufferd
Kenneth Reuben Durham, III
Joel Holmes Durham
Luke Paxton Durham
Sarah Naomi Durham

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 or First United Methodist Church, 211 N. Porter, Center, TX 75935.