Daniel A. Huff

Daniel A. Huff, 84, died of complications due to dementia Nov. 30, 2014. A generous man, Daniel had a warm heart for all he met and many times said he knew no strangers, just friends he hadn’t met yet.

Fresh off the farm, Daniel proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1949 to 1957, including on the USS Curlew, AMS-8, a Mine Sweeper during the Korean War. In the 1970s, Dan served the VFW first as a Post Commander and Deputy Commander, then as the State Commander in 1981. He was very proud of his association with VFW Post 9365 in Wasilla. He also served Wasilla by joining the volunteer fire department and emergency medical services.

In 1956, he married Evelyn Welsh in Azusa, California. Seeking a less complicated life for his family, he moved them north to Alaska in 1964. In 1965 he began working for Anchorage Telephone Utility, remaining there until his retirement in 1986. He and Evelyn packed their bags and journeyed south, this time to San Diego and Dallas, Oregon, where he enjoyed gardening. It wasn’t uncommon for him to call and brag about his “dinner plate sized” flowers, especially when snow was on the ground in Alaska! However, desiring to live out his life where he had been the happiest, he returned to Alaska in 2005.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Evelyn; daughter, Ruth Cardinale; and granddaughter, Tonya Rigdon. Surviving are his wife, Joyce; son, Charles Hermans; daughters, Cryss Rigdon (Robert), Karen Schreiber (Dieter) and Robin Warninghoff (Andrew); and a passel of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Services are at 2 p.m., Dec. 7 at VFW Post 9365 in Wasilla. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska in his name.