Huffman family legacy lives on through fund at the Foundation
In 2011 the Anna and Harold Huffman Foundation and Harold W. Huffman Trust donated this 22-acre family farm along with a $550,000 gift to create an interactive park for children. Now, the private Harold W. and Anna Huffman Foundation is being entrusted to the Fairfield Community Foundation. This integration creates the “Harold W. and Anna Huffman Fund” with the foundation, a gift valued at more than $1 million.
Harold Huffman was born in 1922 on a farm nearby at the corner of Mack and Winton Roads, attending a one-room schoolhouse in Fairfield and then the "big school complex" on Dixie Highway, graduating in 1940. After high school, Harold commuted to the School of Applied Science (which became UC) where he studied engineering. After two years in the Air Corps at the end of WWII, he married Anna Wehr of Hamilton. Returning from military service, Harold purchased the current 22-acre property from his grandfather and built their home, sitting atop the hill, a home that he and Anna shared until her death in 1991. Harold was hired as a mechanic with Hamilton Tool Company, a company that specialized in printing equipment of all kinds. Harold worked his way to become the President of Hamilton Tool Company and eventually received 33 patents for his paper printing inventions.
Anna was a homemaker, enjoyed sewing and needlepoint, and took care of the house and property. She loved the outdoors, her vegetable and flower garden and watching the beautiful setting sun from her porch overlooking the hillside. They owned two standard black poodles. Ebenezer was a dog they found one rainy night on the property and adopted. He was later bred with another poodle and son "Ditto" also became part of the family. Anna walked the two large dogs twice a day around the property. Their favorite task was to pick up wayward golf balls which became their daily sport. Anna and Harold lived on the property for over fifty years until their passing in 1991 and 2010 respectively. Anna and Harold loved the land and hoped to conserve the natural open space of the farm. They created the foundation to enrich and support a variety of causes. In their memory, the foundation wanted the land to become a place that allowed children to learn about nature, and a green space to promote sustainability, ecology, and healthy living. The foundation continues that goal by reforesting the final portion of the property.
The Huffman’s legacy of caring for their community will be furthered through the gift. Historically, the private foundation has been focused on the enrichment of the Huffmans’ former home. The fund’s new scope will now broaden, addressing various community needs with a special emphasis on children’s welfare and educational programs, reflecting on the Huffmans’ long-standing commitment to nurturing future generations.
The Rev. Nancy Turner, niece of Harold and Anna Huffman and director of the foundation, said the gift is a testament to her uncle and aunt’s dedication to the community.
“We believe deeply in the Fairfield Community Foundation’s ability to honor and extend my family’s legacy,” she said. “I am confident it will continue to flourish under their guidance.”
