Harold Knight Huffaker

1940 - 2022

Dr. Harold Knight Huffaker (Hal to his many friends and family), 81, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2022, after a yearlong battle with cancer and heart disease. Dr. Huffaker was born on June 7, 1940, in Cookeville, Tennessee to Carl Barton and Saralyn (Knight) Huffaker. He attended Acalanes high school in Lafayette, CA, continued his education at UC Berkley, and finished with an MD at Northwestern University. Dr. Huffaker practiced small town Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine in Quincy, California, and the surrounding towns of Plumas County, where he and his first wife, Kay Huffaker, raised their three children. More than one friend and neighbor experienced Dr. Huffaker walking or driving to their home to clean and stitch up the random wound. Dr. Huffaker cared deeply for his patients and community and was equally known for his pointed whit and compassionate treatment. When he was not at work, Hal enjoyed water skiing, running, bridge, pinochle and cribbage. He loved to take his family to Lake Almanor near Chester CA and was a marathon runner (PR 3:14:50). He could regularly be seen running in a large brimmed straw hat, short yellow shorts, and white leggings throughout the Plumas County area, even running to work at the hospital and medical office. Hal enjoyed hosting bridge tournaments and classes in Quincy and playing cribbage for nickels with friends. He and Kay played pinochle with friends both in living rooms and by the campfire after a day of waterskiing at the lake. Hal lived, played, and practiced medicine in Quincy, CA for 20 years before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area where he and his second wife, Dr. Marlane Fretz, raised their son. He practiced medicine at Kaiser Permanente in the east bay, much of it setting breaks and giving stitches in the Minor Injury Clinic. After running marathons in his 40s and 50s, his knees gave out and he transitioned to hikes and bike rides. He and his youngest son often rode their bicycles to Baskin Robins for ice cream or hiked Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County. In his retirement, Hal moved to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to family. In his free time he filled in for small emergency rooms and competed in national bridge tournaments with his brother, Ron, as well as spending time with his grandchildren. He is survived by his children Gwendolyn, David (Susan), Matthew (Nichole), and Robert; his younger brother Tom; eight grandchildren; extended family he loved and visited often; and two ex-wives with whom he continued to share family holidays. He was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Saralyn, his brother Ron and sister Carolyn. There was a small family memorial with his large family.