Donald Jackson "Don" Huntington
August 31, 1938 — November 30, 2014
Donald “Don” Jackson Huntington
Sunrise of the life of Donald Jackson Huntington began on August 31, 1938. Sunset came on November 30, 2014, when he passed from this life on earth. He died peace fully at home with his family at the age of 76 years.
Don was the second son of Margaret Adelia (Jackson) and Colbert Clinton Huntington and born at the Basham Hospital in Eureka, Kansas. A receipt from that time was itemized that charges from August 31 to September 13, for the 10 day stay in hospital for the mother and baby was $50 and $35 for the delivery.
Don attended many rural schools including Loy School for several years as well as Hawthorne School northwest of the family’s home. He also attended Random school in Eureka. His eighth grade graduation was held at the old Eureka High School. There were quite a few graduates from most of Greenwood County.
Don’s father was a registered Hereford breeder. In 1947, when Colbert’s Hereford cattle sold, Don and his mother attended the American Royal in Kansas City as guests of Secretary of the Hereford Association R.J. Kinzer. Don bought a “commemorative” cane for himself and his two brothers.
During the 1957-1958 school year, Don went to Kansas City to the National FFA convention and sat next to a former President of the United States, Harry Truman, and got his autograph, which he still has until this day. He also saw President Dwight Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles at the National Convention.
Don was one of seven young men from Kansas among 367 candidates raised to the American Farmer Degree at the 32nd annual convention of FFA in Kansas City held in October 1959.
Don served as the Eureka FFA Chapter Sentinel and as president of the Eureka Chapter during 1955-56. Serving with him were Kent Cornett, Darrell Shaw, Rex Parks, Paul Hendrickson, Bill Sears and Don Adams. In 1957 he was elected and served as Treasurer of the State Association of FFA. He was active in school, including FFA judging contests and other class associations. In 1955, during his junior year, Don was a delegate to Boys State held at North High School in Wichita. He belonged to and held offices in the Upper Fall River Jayhawkers 4-H Club. Later his two children belonged to the same 4-H Club.
Don graduated from Eureka High School with the Class of 1956. He entered Kansas State University the fall of 1957 and he attended school that year on a Sears Scholarship. At the end of the year, he was called home to manage the farm owned by his mother. He then enrolled in Babson Midwest Institute for two years and he received an Associate Degree of Business Management.
During the 1950s there were 22 or 23 different softball teams in Greenwood County. For eight or 10 years, through high school and beyond, Don played baseball on the local teams, mostly playing in the pitcher position. He particularly recalls one game when he pitched 17 “strike outs” in seven innings. This would have been an impressive game. Don has commented that he would have liked to see a tally on that game. He has stated that depending on how it was pitched, the ball could be traveling 60 to 90 miles per hour. The Paul Jones Car Dealership in Eureka had a team. He has commented that whenever they went out of town to play, they drove a new car every time. Don played on Ward McGinnis team for two or three seasons. He related that Ward would treat the players to a steak dinner fairly regular.
Over the years Don has been a member of the Eureka Jaycees, the Kansas Livestock Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He was a recipient of the Farm Bureau Century Family Farm Award.
Don met Dixie while at Kansas State University when the secretaries of the Education Department were paired with the State FFA officers to collect fees for the State Convention Banquet. The couple were married in Beatrice, Nebraska, on April 29, 1960. To this union a son and a daughter were born. Don worked for Holsom Bakery and spent 30 plus years as a Rainbo bread salesman retiring in 1998. During that time he was given the name “by golly bread man,” which was a name that “stuck.” He also was a part-time Farmer’s Insurance Agent. The couple spent the remaining years of Don’s life raising cattle and custom grazing. During the past several years, he has been assisted by his daughter and son-in-law.
Surviving Don is his wife of 54-plus years Dixie Ralene Huntington; a son Colbert “Justin” Huntington and wife Maretta; daughter Donelda Ralene Perkins and husband Mark; granddaughters Victoria Ralene Perkins and Banff Isabella Perkins; brothers Clint Huntington and wife Irlene; John Huntington and wife Nancy; cousin John Elder; niece Heather Fuesz and husband Cory; nephews Dwight Huntington and wife Teresa; John Huntington Jr. and many cousins and nephews. He was preceded by his parents Colbert Clinton Huntington and his mother Margaret Adelia Huntington-Moore.
Funeral services will be held Friday, December 5, at 2 p.m., at the Koup Family Funeral Home, in Eureka. Internment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, in Eureka.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Don Huntington Memorial Scholarship Fund. Donations will benefit the Eureka FFA Chapter and the Greenwood County 4-H Foundation Building Fund. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home, PO Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, who are in charge service arrangements.
Sunrise of the life of Donald Jackson Huntington began on August 31, 1938. Sunset came on November 30, 2014, when he passed from this life on earth. He died peace fully at home with his family at the age of 76 years.
Don was the second son of Margaret Adelia (Jackson) and Colbert Clinton Huntington and born at the Basham Hospital in Eureka, Kansas. A receipt from that time was itemized that charges from August 31 to September 13, for the 10 day stay in hospital for the mother and baby was $50 and $35 for the delivery.
Don attended many rural schools including Loy School for several years as well as Hawthorne School northwest of the family’s home. He also attended Random school in Eureka. His eighth grade graduation was held at the old Eureka High School. There were quite a few graduates from most of Greenwood County.
Don’s father was a registered Hereford breeder. In 1947, when Colbert’s Hereford cattle sold, Don and his mother attended the American Royal in Kansas City as guests of Secretary of the Hereford Association R.J. Kinzer. Don bought a “commemorative” cane for himself and his two brothers.
During the 1957-1958 school year, Don went to Kansas City to the National FFA convention and sat next to a former President of the United States, Harry Truman, and got his autograph, which he still has until this day. He also saw President Dwight Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles at the National Convention.
Don was one of seven young men from Kansas among 367 candidates raised to the American Farmer Degree at the 32nd annual convention of FFA in Kansas City held in October 1959.
Don served as the Eureka FFA Chapter Sentinel and as president of the Eureka Chapter during 1955-56. Serving with him were Kent Cornett, Darrell Shaw, Rex Parks, Paul Hendrickson, Bill Sears and Don Adams. In 1957 he was elected and served as Treasurer of the State Association of FFA. He was active in school, including FFA judging contests and other class associations. In 1955, during his junior year, Don was a delegate to Boys State held at North High School in Wichita. He belonged to and held offices in the Upper Fall River Jayhawkers 4-H Club. Later his two children belonged to the same 4-H Club.
Don graduated from Eureka High School with the Class of 1956. He entered Kansas State University the fall of 1957 and he attended school that year on a Sears Scholarship. At the end of the year, he was called home to manage the farm owned by his mother. He then enrolled in Babson Midwest Institute for two years and he received an Associate Degree of Business Management.
During the 1950s there were 22 or 23 different softball teams in Greenwood County. For eight or 10 years, through high school and beyond, Don played baseball on the local teams, mostly playing in the pitcher position. He particularly recalls one game when he pitched 17 “strike outs” in seven innings. This would have been an impressive game. Don has commented that he would have liked to see a tally on that game. He has stated that depending on how it was pitched, the ball could be traveling 60 to 90 miles per hour. The Paul Jones Car Dealership in Eureka had a team. He has commented that whenever they went out of town to play, they drove a new car every time. Don played on Ward McGinnis team for two or three seasons. He related that Ward would treat the players to a steak dinner fairly regular.
Over the years Don has been a member of the Eureka Jaycees, the Kansas Livestock Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. He was a recipient of the Farm Bureau Century Family Farm Award.
Don met Dixie while at Kansas State University when the secretaries of the Education Department were paired with the State FFA officers to collect fees for the State Convention Banquet. The couple were married in Beatrice, Nebraska, on April 29, 1960. To this union a son and a daughter were born. Don worked for Holsom Bakery and spent 30 plus years as a Rainbo bread salesman retiring in 1998. During that time he was given the name “by golly bread man,” which was a name that “stuck.” He also was a part-time Farmer’s Insurance Agent. The couple spent the remaining years of Don’s life raising cattle and custom grazing. During the past several years, he has been assisted by his daughter and son-in-law.
Surviving Don is his wife of 54-plus years Dixie Ralene Huntington; a son Colbert “Justin” Huntington and wife Maretta; daughter Donelda Ralene Perkins and husband Mark; granddaughters Victoria Ralene Perkins and Banff Isabella Perkins; brothers Clint Huntington and wife Irlene; John Huntington and wife Nancy; cousin John Elder; niece Heather Fuesz and husband Cory; nephews Dwight Huntington and wife Teresa; John Huntington Jr. and many cousins and nephews. He was preceded by his parents Colbert Clinton Huntington and his mother Margaret Adelia Huntington-Moore.
Funeral services will be held Friday, December 5, at 2 p.m., at the Koup Family Funeral Home, in Eureka. Internment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, in Eureka.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Don Huntington Memorial Scholarship Fund. Donations will benefit the Eureka FFA Chapter and the Greenwood County 4-H Foundation Building Fund. Contributions may be sent in care of Koup Family Funeral Home, PO Box 595, Eureka, KS 67045, who are in charge service arrangements.
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