Charles Earl Huffman, better known as Chuck, age 69, embarked on his final adventure on Saturday January 6th, 2024 after his battle with cancer.
Chuck was a loving father, husband, son, brother and beaming grandpa. He is survived by his wife Martha Huffman, daughters Gayla Goleman (Aaron Goleman) and Rachael Huffman (Miles Strombach), grandson Owen Goleman, mother Vera Huffman, and sister Suzette Nesbitt-Walker (Jeff Walker), as well as many honorary “rent-a-kids”. He was preceded in death by his father Perry Huffman.
Chuck was a gregarious, fun man and friend to many. He worked as a Chemical Engineer for Bayer for 37 years before retiring in 2019. His engineering background shaped how he thought about the world and tackled problems. Always a lover of adventure, he also spent many years as a white-water rafting guide on the New River Gorge in West Virgina on the weekends; in no small part, because of his ability to engineer his own paddle attachment for his hook. He also found creative ways to change his grandson’s diaper and feed a wiggly infant one-handed. The sun paled in comparison to his smile when he was holding his Owen.
Chuck always encouraged us to view the world with childlike wonder and never let someone tell you that you couldn’t follow your dream. He had never met a stranger and was notorious for starting projects and, as many friends who got roped into these can attest, assumed the role of “supervisor” for these adventures. He loved woodworking and was so proud of the projects he worked on through the KC Woodworkers’ Guild. He was a masterful storyteller; when Chuck told a story, the room stopped to listen. He was a kind, patient, loving, thoughtful man whose jolly spirit will be incredibly missed.
Visitation: 5:00-7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 9th at Hixson-Klein Funeral Home in Smithville.
Funeral Service: 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 10th at Grace Episcopal Church in Liberty, MO.
Burial: Paradise Cemetery, Smithville, MO.
