Geraldine Chittenden Huff, 94, Phoenix, AZ, died Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014 in Murrieta, CA.
Geraldine was born in Hays KS on March 3, 1920 to Stanley and Myrtle (Truan) Chittenden. She grew up on the Chittenden farm outside of Hays. “Geri” attended school in Hays and after graduating from high school attended Fort Hays Kansas State University, in Hays. She met a dashing young Army Air Corps pilot, Foster B. Huff, while he was stationed at Walker Army Air Base. They married March 6, 1945 in Trinity Lutheran Church, Hays KS. Within days of the wedding, Foster deployed with his Air Corps unit to the Pacific theater of operations.
Following the end of WWII she and Foster opened a photo studio in Hays. The studio thrived until Nov, 1951 when Foster was recalled into Air Force service. For the next 16 years Geri traveled throughout the United States and Europe as a military wife. She and Foster settled down in Phoenix AZ in 1968, with Geri continuing to work at the district office of J.C. Penny’s and being an active member of the sailing and RV clubs. Beginning in 1999 they spent time in both Phoenix and Temecula, visiting their daughter Janelle and her family. She was a good natured, loving person who had a smile for everyone. A new family tradition was started on Geri’s 90th birthday when her children took her to Disneyland, continuing through her 93rd birthday. Geri always enjoyed her visits with Mickey and the gang.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 60 years, Foster, parents Myrtle and Stanley Chittenden, sister Ida Eleanor Chittenden and brother John R. “Jack” Chittenden, and a sister-in-law, Louise Chittenden.
Geraldine will be dearly missed by her loving family; children, Ronald C. Huff, El Cerrito, CA, Janelle Gebhardt and husband David, Temecula, CA, brother Stanley M. Chittenden, Houston, TX, sister-in-law Norma Chittenden, Hays, KS, grandsons Stuart and John Gebhardt, CA, aunt Florence Truan Stuive, Boulder, CO, nephew John R. Chittenden and his wife and children of Hays, KS.
Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Friday, December 19, 2014 at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 2703 Fort St., Hays. Burial will be in the Mt. Allen Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11:00 am until service time on Friday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the church, in care of the funeral home.
Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com