Irvin Eugene *Gene* Huddleston

IRVIN EUGENE HUDDLESTON was born September 10 1926 to William E. & Rena (Porter) Huddleston in a farm home two miles west & ½ mile south of the town of Sunset, Beaver County, Oklahoma. Two brothers were added to the family Floyd in 1933 and J.W. in 1935. The family lived in various places in Beaver County until January 1937 when William (Bill) took over the family Homestead from his parents when they retired to beaver. Eugene attended elementary school at Sunset (1st & 4-8) and Locust Grove(2-3)  and high school at Darrouzett, Texas (two years) and Beaver, Oklahoma (one year). Early years were trying due to the depression and the DUST BOWL.  Work on the farm was required although fishing and the swimming hole in coon creek was a welcome reprieve.

            Due to World War II, he was facing the draft. In order to pick the branch of service he volunteered for the Navy at the age of 17 (draftees did not have a choice).

            The Navy is where the real education began. His boot camp was to learn navy ways and vocabulary, a short mechanical school and then assigned to the ship, "USS PROVIDENCE CL82."  He was assigned to the engineering part of the ship (then known as the” BLACK GANG") and a whole new line of learning began. He learned the operation of high pressure boilers, steam turbines, electric generators, pumps and other equipment required to run a ship. During the remaining time in service, 13 countries were visited around the Mediterranean Sea and then he returned to USA and was discharged in August 1946.

During the summer of 1947 another interest came, a young lady named Patricia.  This relationship prospered and the two were married 14-September 1947.  There first home was in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Over the next five years and thirteen moves and various places of employment, three sons were born, Ernest Edward (4 Aug. 1948) Stanley Eugene (31 May 1950) Donald Ray (18 Jan 1952).

On 4 April 1953 employment was obtained with Phillips Petroleum Co. and stationed at Sher-Han gas plaint located 15 miles south of Guymon Oklahoma with company housing. In 1962 the company decided to close the company housing and offered the houses for sale to the occupants to be moved, the move was made to Goodwell, Oklahoma.

During this time the boys grew into young men and got married. Patricia worked at the college and Gene advanced through the ranks at Phillips to the rank of Instrument Man. After eight years in this position it was necessary for a change and a move was made to Darrouzett Texas, near to the farm of his youth.

            This lasted only 13 months when an offer was accepted to go to Germany to help start a new plant. On the day after Christmas 1976 Gene and Patricia boarded a Boeing 747 in Wichita Ks. to start series adventures that changed them for life.

In mid-March 1977, an offer was made and accepted for a supervisor position offshore Norway. The move was made on 21 March 1977. Arriving in Stavanger Norway we were domiciled in the Atlantic hotel where we lived waiting for a house to be available

A house became available in December 1977 which was our domicile until August of 1982. Our next assignment was to a new gas plant being built near Summerville Texas named Quarry. In 1985 the company offered a package for early retirement that was accepted August 1, 1985.   

Gene was preceded in death by his wife Pat; father, Bill and mother, Rena; two sons, Donald Huddleston and Ernest Huddleston, both of Pampa, TX and one grandson Brian Huddleston of Pampa.

Gene is survived in death by his son Stanley of Logan, OK; one granddaughter, Stacy Hext of Pampa; four grandsons, Matthew Huddleston of Austin, Texas, Kevin Huddleston of Tulia, Texas, and James Huddleston of Amarillo, and Timothy Huddleston of Canyon, TX; two brothers, Floyd Ray Huddleston of Wellington, Kansas and Justin Willard Huddleston of Guymon, Oklahoma along with seven great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.