Ted Eugene Huffer

Ted Eugene Huffer, 67, of Mulberry passed away on October 21, 2024, after sustaining injuries from a farming accident a few days prior. Ted pridefully dedicated his life to his work as a third generation farmer and successful business owner in excavation. Ted was most known for farming and his work with his company, THF, Inc, Excavation and Site Work that he founded in 1983.

Born on January 19, 1957, Ted grew up north of Mulberry on the family farm and was a lifelong resident of Clinton County. After the Palm Sunday tornado in 1965 destroyed their two story brick farmhouse, the family built the home that they have since lived in and expanded the farm that they work on today.

Ted graduated from Clinton Prairie High School in 1975 where he played football and developed his interests in agricultural business. He was very active in 4-H, soil judging, and Future Farmers of America (FFA), receiving national recognition for his achievements. Ted was very skilled in mechanics and welding and started his own business after high school, Teddy Bear's Welding (TBW). He went on to complete various certifications including some study with the College of Agriculture at Purdue.

Ted joined the Madison Township fire department at the age of 18 in 1975 and proudly served for more than 25 years. He and his father, John "Mike" Huffer, both served as fire chief with Ted's tenure at 15 years. During his time with the fire department, Ted obtained his certification in arson investigation and he managed and ran calls for Rescue11 for some of those years. He also helped with the construction of the new fire station on the east side of Mulberry.

Professionally, Ted had a long and accomplished career in construction. In the surrounding area, he completed various projects and built lasting relationships with customers, contractors, and organizations that fueled his success. Career highlights he was most proud of include the multi-year work with Frito Lay and Conagra in Frankfort, large and complex projects at Purdue University, and collaborating on out-of-state work with the Fluor team from Oklahoma. With the Purdue Research Foundation, Ted created and installed an innovative pervious concrete parking lot on campus for which he received the state's "green" award, and he taught President Martin C. Jischke how to operate a Cat 330 Excavator for the breaking ground ceremony for the Neil Armstrong Engineering Building in 2004. A long list of projects for local municipalities, subdivisions, roadways, waterways, concrete, crane operation, sand and aggregate, site preparation and cleanup filled decades of his life. Ted enjoyed retelling (and embellishing) his stories and was always eager to do so over lunch as a regular at the Southfork Pub.

An avid outdoorsman, Ted was an excellent marksman and archer and a great steward of the land and its animals. Hunting with his son, Brandon, was one of Ted's passions. They enjoyed Indiana deer hunting as much as their global travels from South Dakota and Montana to Alaska, Canada, South Africa, and Russia. Ted pursued the hobby with zeal and vigor and had the thrill of a lifetime on the Jim Shockey Hunting Show where he brought home a black bear from Canada. Over the past few years, he enjoyed cleaning up his woods and creating a beaver pond, damming the creek and observing their behavior.

Ted is survived by his wife of 24 years, Vicki; his children, Kendall Huffer O'Neill (Scott), Brandon Huffer (Rachel), Kate Montgomery, and Reece Montgomery; his six grandchildren (Ruby, Knox, Maryn, Emma, Quincy, and Maysen); and, his beloved dog Ginger. His brother John Huffer of Lafayette and sister, Michele Brown, of Bloomington also survive. Ted was preceded in death by his parents, John "Mike" and Phyllis Huffer, lifelong residents and community members in Mulberry.

Ted's personality was as big as his reach, and the family has been touched by the support from his community near and far. The family extends immense gratitude and appreciation to the first responders, Eskenazi Health Burn Unit, and the Mulberry farming families who have offered to help finish harvest. To honor his legacy and wishes, the family will host Ted's celebration of life in a field-side service in May 2025 reflecting his deep connection to his land and trade. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Madison Township Volunteer Fire Department (via mail to 606 E Jackson St, Mulberry, IN 46058) or the Future Farmers of America (FFA).