Aurale Huff, my mother, I love her, and it's so hard to say good-bye...


Aurale (Lee) Huff
21 October 1927 – 9 January 2010
Aurale (Lee) Huff of Harwood, TX, passed away early Saturday morning at Seton Medical Center-Hays, in Kyle. Services were held at the Harwood Cemetery, Sunday, January 10, 2010. She was born in Harwood to Walter and Iva Huff and was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Walter Huff, Jr. and Wayne Huff; her sister, Martha Lewis; a son, John Holbrook; a daughter, Melinda Antuna, two granddaughters, Heather Windham and Carrie Antuna, and great-granddaughter, Kindra Albert.

Being mechanically inclined, at the age of 25, Lee rebuilt a Hillman-Minx automobile engine with no help other than instruction from her father, who had built airplanes in Harwood while she was a small child.

Lee learned her trade in the family newspaper business and, known as a “tramp printer,” travelled across the United States working in newspapers in Houston TX, San Francisco CA, Cincinnati OH, Detroit MI, Modesto CA, and San Antonio TX, where she was a Linotype operator, type-setter and, later, a computer operator. She was the first in her family to become a member of the International Typographical Union.

Lee was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she played the piano, the organ, and taught Sunday School and Family History classes to others. She loved music. She was devoted to doing Family History in the church and was, at the time of her death an active full-time missionary serving as a family history consultant and guide to people from around the world who are searching for their roots. Lee has contributed volumes of information to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT, which is now available online to the world. Her contributions to the family history records in both the Gonzales County Archives and the Luling Family History Center are available to all who seek the information and wish to continue the great work in which she was so eagerly and passionately engaged.

Lee is survived by six children: Jennie Conley of Idaho, Karel Holbrook of California, Peggy (spouse Michael) Aspinwall of Arizona, Philip (spouse Karin) of Colorado, Iva Antuna of Harwood and Sally (spouse Daniel) Windham of Kyle. She also leaves twenty-six grandchildren, thirty-three great-grandchildren, three great-great grandchildren; one brother, Wallace Huff of Ohio; two sisters, Rosemary Smith of Harwood and Frances DeChane of Michigan, and many nieces, nephew, cousins, and countless friends throughout the world. She was a wonderful mother, sister, and friend and she will be sadly missed.

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 13, 2010 at 9:42 AM

    Sally, I'm so sorry to hear about Lee passing away. She was such an inspiration to me in many ways. I didn't know she was in the hospital. I've not been in church for a few weeks, so I had not heard anything about her. The last time I saw her we talked about her new calling as an online Family History Consultant and how much she was looking forward to the training and the ability to help people world wide. What a wonderful talented warm and loving lady she was. I'll certainly miss our chance meetings in the parking lot of the church or in the chapel. May God Bless and Comfort you and your family at this difficult time, Paula Pond

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  2. JenJanuary 13, 2010 at 10:23 AM

    I will miss her.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Maren and DustinJanuary 15, 2010 at 3:48 PM

    That is such a nice obituary. She really was a blessing to so many.

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  4. MelissaJanuary 16, 2010 at 7:33 PM

    Sally, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's passing. I'm lifting you all up in my prayers. ((hugs))

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  5. UnknownJanuary 20, 2010 at 9:23 PM

    Sally,

    Your Mom a super lady. She assisted my with my Gonzales county genealogy research at the archives many years ago. She was also a fellow GenWeb coordinator. She did so much to preserve family history and loved to help others. I think I met you at one time at the Luling Genealogy Society seminar. She will be missed but never forgotten. My deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

    Paula

    ReplyDelete

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