Clarence Huhman

HUHMAN, Jr. Clarence Henry "Ty". Passed away peacefully August 12 at the age of 97. Clarence Huhman was born in Jefferson City, Missouri on February 28, 1928. After missing being a Leap Year Baby by being born less than 30 minutes early, he lived in nearby Wardsville for three years and Kansas for five before settling in Bowling Green, Missouri for the long term. At age 8, he and his father built the family farmhouse with their own hands on the newly purchased farm where he grew to adulthood. Farm labor was performed with horses and the house lacked electricity, telephone and indoor plumbing. Through elementary school, he attended the proverbial one-room schoolhouse, also lacking modern conveniences. Fur trapping on the farm provided pocket money. Later, he attended Bowling Green high school where his favorite extracurricular activity was the Band, playing trumpet. Band members were extremely close knit, holding periodic reunions through 50 years after graduation. He earned pocket money around town singing and playing guitar and banjo at various social events.

Due to stellar academic performance that had allowed him to skip a grade in elementary school, he graduated in May of 1945 at the age of 17 and joined the army. After setting base marksmanship records during basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, his primary duty assignment was as an MP with the the occupation forces in Europe, primarily at Linz, Austria. Upon completing his service obligation, he initially settled in St. Louis and tried a variety of activities. He played one season of minor league baseball with the Class D Ponca City (Oklahoma) Dodgers, then worked while obtaining a commercial pilot's rating in his lifelong love, airplane flying.

Eventually, his employer, Essex Wire, offered him a sales territory based out of Birmingham, Alabama, which he accepted. It was there that he met his lifelong love and wife, Martee McReynolds. After briefly trying the grocery business with his father-in-law, he made his defining career move: starting a Manufacturer's Agency business with two partners, supplying equipment to the electric utility industry. This required a move to Atlanta, where he set down roots and raised his family. Known for decades as Glenn, Huhman & Mills, the business grew, prospered, added personnel and eventually merged with another agency, and is now known as Southcon. He also started a side business, Capital Concrete, which he was involved with for several years. After retirement at the age of 68, he lived in Destin, Florida for 9 years, then shifted to Dahlonega, GA.

Clarence was preceded in death by his beloved wife Martee, his parents Clarence and Lizzy Huhman, and his four sisters, Mercedes Behlmann, Grace Suthoff, Nancy Brakhage and Kathy Rodgers. He is survived by his four children: Steven Huhman, Leigh Brooks (Jeff), Tyler Huhman (Kim) and Anne Martinez (David), as well as five grandchildren: Ashleigh Smith (Jason), Matthew Huhman, Kelsey Lanzer (Michael), Alexandra Huhman and Garrett Martinez. It is anticipated that a celebration of his life will take place in the next few months, but no definitive plans have been made at this time.