Gilbert Lafayette DeHuff's Obituary
Gilbert L. DeHuff, Jr. died Aug. 11, aged 99 1/2 yrs, a resident of West Falls assisted living at Falcon's Landing, Sterling. He was a retired mining engineer & geologist who served as US manganese specialist in the Bureau of Mines for 32 years. Mr. DeHuff was born February 10, 1909 in Philadelphia, PA to the late Gilbert and Mathilda Bowman DeHuff. He grew up in Millville, NJ and graduated from Lehigh University in 1930.
In The Depression Gil worked in Canada laying out gold-mining shafts and prospecting new claims. The company would fly him to lakes in the North Woods where he’d investigate gold claims for a whole week without seeing another person.
Gil courted a bright young Canadian nurse in a canoe and married Anne Bradley in 1944. They raised two sons in Arlington, VA while Gil worked for the Bureau of Mines. He started in 1951 as the U.S.’ Manganese Specialist and retired at 73 years old as Ferrous Metals Section Chief. “I wasn’t a bureaucrat…I fought ‘em all the time!” he claimed. Gil had a photographic memory and gave expert testimony before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on U.S. manganese stockpiles and statistics. He traveled internationally for the Bureau of Mines.
He loved canoing, skiing, camping and the outdoors. (As a young man he helped build part of the north end of the Appalachian Trail.) Gil and Anne moved to Falcon’s Landing in 1998 and it likely was the best move they ever made. Our family’s thanks go to all in the F.L. and West Falls community who have been such great friends, neighbors and care-givers to Dad and Mom!
Gil is survived by his two sons and their families: Gilbert R. DeHuff (wife Elaine)and granddaughter Melanie Eager; David W. DeHuff (wife Janet) and granddaughters Jennifer DeHuff, Amy DeHuff,
Lisa Ryan, and great grandson Gray Ryan.
Graveside services were held on Saturday August 16, 2008 in Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
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