Smith - Taylor - Ruggiero Funeral Home

Bernard J. Huff, age 87 of Easton, PA died Monday, September 21^st, 2009 . Bernard was born on June 12, 1922, a son of the late Isaac and Katherine Egar Huff, in West Portal, NJ.

Mr. Huff proudly served with the U.S. Navy during WWII in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. In the armed guard on the SS Sea Quail a Merchant Marine Troop Ship which took him to Naples, Italy, Southampton, England, LaHarve, France and Algeria. He went through the Panama Canal to the Pacific to California, Los Angeles, Washington State, then to the Pacific with a load of troops, where he unloaded them and moved other troops and CB's to different islands, some were Saipan, Eniwetok, Leyte and the Philippines. When the war ended in Europe he went back through the canal to Marseille, France, picked up more troops and went through the canal again, this time to Okinawa, east of Iwo Jima. When the war had ended there, he took troops into Tokyo, Japan, unloaded those troops and went to Yokohama and Yokasuka and back to Washington were he left the Sea Quail and received 36 days leave. Mr. Huff had traveled with the Sea Quail for 79,000 miles. During some of those miles he crossed the Equator three times. He then reported back to duty and was sent to Shoemaker, CA where he was assigned to the USS Bolivar APA 34. He traveled back through the Panama Canal for the fourth time at which time the ship was decommissioned and he was Honorably Discharged from Service.

Mr. Huff also drove a truck for Harry Lance blacktopping some of the very first roads in New Jersey. He was a licensed fireman for Ingersoll Rand for seven years, and he farmed in Hackettstown for over twenty years. Bernie worked at McWilliams Forge until his retirement in 1987. Mr. Huff and his wife Frances were avid roller skaters and managed a skating rink in Sussex County for many years. And accomplished private airplane pilot, he received his license in 1947 and had retained it throughout his life. A lifetime member of the VFW and American Legion in Mine Hill, NJ, Bernie was a parishioner of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hackettstown, NJ.

Predeceased by his wife Frances (Sis) Stecker they were married for fifty (50) years when she passed away September 2^nd, 1997. Also predeceased by three brothers, Paul, James and Joseph Huff. Survivors include a daughter Lana Schwind of Easton, PA, three sons, Dennis Huff and his wife Patti of Hackettstown, NJ, Terry Huff and his wife Susan of Montross, PA, and Robin and his wife Dawn of Kenvil, NJ. Ten Grandchildren and eight Great Grandchildren as well as his devoted companion Betty McCrea of Flemington, NJ and his brother, Edgar Huff of Bradenton, FL.

Funeral Services will be Friday, September 25, 2009 at 10:30 am at the Smith-Taylor-Ruggiero Funeral Home, One Baker Avenue (Rt. 46), Dover, NJ. Internment will immediately follow in the Pequest Union Cemetery, Great Meadows, NJ, Visitation will be held at the funeral home Thursday, September 24th from 3 pm - 5 pm and 7 pm- 9 pm. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Camp Merry Heart, Hackettstown, NJ 07840.