HUFFMAN, OLIVE WEAVER (1913 ~ 2008). The following is an obituary for Olive Weaver Huffman, spouse of former member of the Texas House of Representatives Calvin Huffman. The obituary was published in the December 8, 2008 edition of the Austin American Statesman.
"Olive Weaver Huffman, age 95, passed away suddenly at her home in Austin, Texas, on December 4, 2008. She was born as Olive Weaver on August 20, 1913, in Galveston, Texas, to S. Ellsworth Weaver and Ann Tobin Weaver. In the Galveston hurricane of 1915 Olive, her mother and three brothers were on the last train to leave the island as the causeway collapsed behind them. When she was 4, her family moved to Beaumont. Olive graduated from Beaumont High School and attended Rice University before marrying Calvin C. Huffman in 1937.
Cal and Olive first made their home in Eagle Pass, Texas, where Cal was editor and publisher of the Eagle Pass Daily Guide. Cal was elected to the state legislature in 1940, and he and Olive soon came to Austin with their two young children, Patricia and Wayne. Cal served two terms in the House of Representatives, where he sponsored the bill to acquire the Big Bend Park. Cal and Olive loved Austin so much, they decided to stay; and soon had two more children, Richard and Gregory. Cal eventually became an attorney specializing in insurance law, which he practiced until his death. Olive became active with social and church work, while continue to focus on her four children and family responsibilities.
In 1950, a group of Austin women met and organized the Austin Lawyers Wives Club. Olive was one of the Charter Members of the club. She also served as its 7th President, from 1956 to 1957. She was honored at the Headliners Club in March, 2000, as a fifty year active member.
Olive was also a Charter Member and member of the Executive Board of the Austin Symphony League, organized in 1953. In addition to her involvement with the various committees and boards of the League, she served as Chairman of the Diamond Debutante Committee in 1962, which organized and hosted the Jewel Ball.
She was a 60-year member of the Legislative Ladies Club and was a co-founder of the Legislative Children's Club in March, 1949.
Another organization to which Olive gave much of her time and energy was the Settlement Club, which she joined in 1960. She was a long time member and served on its Board. She was also a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church, a former member of the Board of Stewards and was a member of Circle #2 for over 55 years, a group that she has also chaired several times.
She was an active member and/or officer of many other organizations, including the Tri¬Delt Mothers Club where she served as President, the Delta Tau Delta Mothers Club, Friends of the Austin Public Library, the Texas Botanical Garden Society and the First Docents of the U.T. Art Department and Laguna Gloria in Austin.
Although she greatly valued her involvement with all of these organizations, Olive felt that her greatest contributions in life were to her family. She and Cal raised four children, sending them through Austin schools and various universities and graduate schools.
Cal passed away in 1980. Olive was also preceded in death by her daughter, Patricia Ann (Tish) Huffman Williams, her parents, and her five brothers, Harry, Earl, Leslie, Norman and Bertrand Weaver. She was also preceded in death by her three dearest friends, Marjory Price, Joyce Manford and Jean Daniel.
Olive is survived by her sons, Wayne Huffman, Richard Huffman and wife Beverly Andreasen, Gregory Huffman and wife Mary Murphy; her six grand children, Kirk Williams, Patricia (Trish) Williams Huddleston and husband Ron, Natalie Huffman, Ross Huffman, Ted Huffman and Mark Huffman; and her great grandson Bennett Huddleston.
Olive will be buried next to Cal in a private family ceremony at the Texas State Cemetery. A celebration of Olive's life will be held from 3 to 6 p.m., Thursday, December 11, 2008, at her home and backyard at 2414 Harris Blvd."
Further information is available through the Texas State Cemetery research department. |
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