Hayden MacMillan Huffman & Kathryn French

Hayden MacMillan Huffman (1912-1973) age 14

Hayden MacMillan Huffman age 2

Hayden MacMillan Huffman Filming “Deed to Happiness”

Kathryn Elizabeth's parents were Joseph Sidney French (1884-1966) and Edna Patricia Hines (1890-1968).

Hayden MacMillan Huffman was born March 28, 1912 in Newport, Kentucky, the only child of Hayden Huffman and Allie C. McMillen. He grew up in Newport, Kentucky, and graduated from Newport High School June 11, 1930. The write-up in his senior yearbook read,

“Mac is the most stylish boy in our class, and he is always very neat in appearance. He is probably the most active in the class socially, for he has a superabundance of school spirit. Mac has made good grades in high school especially in science and mathematics. He is very much interested in aviation and intends to be an aeronautical engineer. Mac is good natured and of noble character. Perhaps that is why we like him so well.”

In 1929, Mac’s parents purchased a $3 ticket for an air voyage from the Embry-Riddle Aviation Company. The tickets were one of the ways that the Embry-Riddle Company promoted the future of aviation. So, on July 14, 1929, only 26 years after the Wright Brothers’ historic flight at Kitty Hawk, 17-year-old Mac made an air voyage in an Embry-Riddle airplane. He tucked the $3 ticket in his school yearbook as a memento.

Throughout his teens, most of Mac’s leisure time was occupied with model building. At age 14 his ship model took first prize in the Boy’s Hobby Contest of Newport. He continued to compete in the contest and in 1930 won the grand prize.

In 1932, Mac was accepted into the Senior Division of the Fisher Body Craftsman Guild. The guild was open to boys from all over the country. Following detailed plans, Guild enrollees submitted handmade replicas of the “Body by Fisher” royal coach. Boys had the option of buying kits containing some of the more intricate pieces, or they could fabricate the entire model themselves. Points were deducted for coaches containing kit parts. Mac’s model was entirely handmade and won at the state (Kentucky) and regional level. He was brought to Detroit, along with the other regional winners, and treated to tours of the city and an awards banquet.

After graduating from high school, Mac attended the University of Cincinnati where he met his future wife, Kathryn French. On June 5, 1936, he received a degree in mechanical engineering from the University’s College of Engineering and Commerce. From there, Mac went to work for the Cincinnati Milling Machine Company with whom he continued until 1971.

After college, Mac’s interests shifted from model building and aviation to photography. His job with Cincinnati Milling Machines frequently required him to travel. In many of his letters to Kathryn, Mac mentioned that he couldn’t wait to be done with his work so that he could travel around whatever city he was in and take pictures. Mac developed his own photos in the darkroom he had set up in his home. He also owned a movie camera with which he recorded many family activities.

Mac joined and eventually became president of the Cincinnati Movie Club, an organization of amateur moviemakers dedicated to improving their skills. In 1949, the club took on a community service project and produced a 16mm sound-color movie for the Ohio Hospital Association. The film, “Deed to Happiness”, was designed to promote interest in nursing among high school girls and alleviate the shortage of nurses in Ohio. Mac, supervisor and director of the film, along with a dozen other members of the club, worked gratis 3 to 4 hours a week for almost 4 months to produce the film.

“Deed to Happiness” eventually was shown in many cities throughout the country and received honorable mention in a national competition sponsored by American Cinematographer Magazine. It was also featured on the program of the Photographic Society of America held in Baltimore in October 1949.

Mac and Kathryn lived in the Cincinnati area until 1950, when Mac was promoted to the position of Cincinnati Milling Machines District Sales Manager for the Central and Western New York region. They and their two children, Bill and Betty Jo, settled into a new home in Fayetteville, New York. Mac lived there until his death in 1973.

Syracuse Herald-Journal
Obituaries
Monday, April 2, 1973

Hayden M. Huffman, retired administrator

Hayden M. Huffman, 61, of 101 Kenny Dr., Fayetteville, died this morning in a local nursing home. He was retired as regional administrator in the Syracuse area for the Cincinnati-Milacron Co. He was more recently a manufacturer’s representative with T.P.C. Co. Inc. Mr. Huffman lived in Fayetteville 24 years. He was a native of Newport, Ky. and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta, national collegiate social fraternity, Ohio Gamma Chapter. He was a member of Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi, national engineering honorary societies. Mr. Huffman was a past commander of the Syracuse Power Squadron and was also an active member of the United States Power Squadron. He was formerly active in Lake Shore Yacht and Country Club. He was a member of Danforth Lodge 597, F & AM.

Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Kathryn F. Huffman, a son, Hayden W. Huffman of Syracuse, and a daughter, Mrs. Francis A. Lee of Syracuse, and four grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at the Eaton-Tubbs Funeral Home in Fayetteville, the Rev. Roland Nichols officiating. Burial will be in White Chapel Memory Gardens, Dewitt. Calling hours are 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow. Contributions may be made to Fayetteville Trinity Episcopal Church.

Blue Chip on Oneida Lake

For several years, the Blue Chip took us on many wonderful vacations through the New York State Barge Canal, across Lake Ontario, up the St Lawrence River, through the Thousand Islands, and into the Rideau Chain of Lakes in Ontario, Canada. Dad took excellent care of his boat. Over the winter he would strip off all the spar varnish and then lovingly sand and revarnish the deck and trim until it shone. Heaven forbid a woman in high heels should ever attempt to board our boat. She would be told that safety require she remove her heels and don a pair of deck shoes. I think my Dad didn’t want those high heels marring his beautifully varnished deck. My Dad honed his skills as a navigator and eventually became Commander of the Syracuse Power Squadron. He always emphasized safety and a profound respect for the sea. He had a plaque over the Captain’s chair which featured the prayer of the Breton fisherman which read, “Oh, God, thy sea is so great and my boat is so small”.

Dad’s love of photography and technology never waned. I loved the nights he treated us to a family slide show or movie. He kept up to date on all the latest inventions by reading Popular Mechanics magazine. Dad was the first in his neighborhood to buy a Radar Range, one of the early microwave ovens. I remember him calling us into the kitchen to demonstrate how powerful the thing was by blowing up several hot dogs.

Dad was always building something in his workshop downstairs. When he built an oscilloscope, he informed us that he didn’t know what he was going to use it for, but thought it was just the coolest thing. Eventually he found a use for it, when he built a color tv set and the cabinet to put it in. In our house, if an electronic device ever broke, Dad would disappear with it into his workshop and fix it. There were always some pieces left over, but that never seemed to bother him.

Dad loved to grill outdoors. Mom got him a chef hat and apron to match. He built our brick barbeque oven, grill, and revolving spit by hand I helped carry the bricks into the backyard and he even let me mix the mortar for the brickwork.

Dad taught me honesty, responsibility, the value of hard work and the importance of a good education. I’ll never forget how proud he was when I graduated from St. Lawrence University. Dad was gentle and kind. I can only remember him raising his voice around me once and that was during a rough crossing of Lake Ontario. I guess he was worried, but I wasn’t. I knew that as long as he was there, I would be safe.

Children of Hayden MacMillan Huffman and Kathryn French:

E1 Hayden William Huffman, born November 27, 1938 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is living in Marana, AZ, just outside of Tucson.

F1 Virginia Huffman

F2 Richard Huffman

E2 Betty Jo Huffman, born December 7, 1944 in Cincinnati, Ohio; married (1) Francis Lee; married (2) Donald Churchill.
F1 Eamon Christopher Lee, born August 24, 1970.

F2 Kathryn (Katie) Kelleher Lee, born September 19, 1971.