Wirt County Journal August 21, 2002 Obituaries Harold Wayne Hopkins Harold Wayne Hopkins, 66, of Waverly, O., passed away July 27, 2002, as a result of a fall from his wheelchair several days before. He was born Feb. 19, 1936, in Elizabeth, the youngest son of the late Walter S. and Effie Hopkins. He attended Wirt County schools until his parents moved to Michigan, where he finished his schooling. He was in law enforcement in Waverly for many years until his health forced him to quit. He is survived by two brothers, Walter and his wife, Mary Ann of Morgantown and Gene and his wife Mary Lou of Waverly; two sisters, Margaret and her husband Leland Fry and Juanita and her husband, Evan Bird of Centrailia, Wash.; many nieces, nephews and friends. A memorial service will be held in Waverly Saturday, Aug. 31. Memorial donations may be made to Adena/Diabetes, Adena Medical Center, 272 Hospital Rd., Chillicothe, OH 45601. Clifton E. "Tink" Huffman Clifton E. "Tink" Huffman, died on July 31, 2002, at the Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, after a long illness. Mr. Huffman was born Sept. 18, 1913, in Palestine to Albert B. Huffman and Estelle Thorn Huffman. He was a native of Wirt County growing up in Wirt and Roane counties. He graduated from Roane County High School in 1934 and went on to graduate from Glenville State Teachers College in 1938, where he. was a letterman in football. He taught school in Wirt County before going into the service of his country in March 1942 to fight in World War II. He served as a waist gunner on a B-17 based in Europe and was shot down twice. The first time (on his 12th mission), he was able to evade the enemy, got back to his crew with the help of the Yugoslavian partisans. On his 13th and final mission in October 1944, he was shot down over Pilzen, Czechoslovakia, and captured by the Germans who held him prisoner of war until the war's end in June 1945. He was wounded both times he was shot down and was awarded the Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal with an Oak Leaf Cluster. In addition, he was awarded various other medals and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal. He retired from the U.S. Air Force on May 31, 1962, at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Ind., and moved his family to southern California, living there the next 20 years. He retired from U.S. Civil Service on Feb. 28, 1982. The past 20 years he has resided in San Antonio, Texas. He was a member of the Wirt Lodge 82 AF& AM and the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Long Beach, California. He was a lifetime member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War and the Disabled American Veterans. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jean Ellen Thorn Huffman; sons, Thorn C. Huffman of Montgomery, Texas, and Freddie A. Huffman and his wife Sandy of Torrance, Calif.; a step-granddaughter, Nicole Heftier of New York; a step-grandson, Robert Stier of Orange County, Calif., and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Toni Lee Huffman, his parents, brothers, Snowden and Clarence Huffman, sisters, Carma Rader, Ruth Lee, Elva Bennett, Frances Yousey, Hazel Burdette and Louise Huffman. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 24, at 4 p.m. at Busch Funeral Home in Elizabeth. Visitation will be one hour before the service. Winifred Riffee Winifred Dallas "Bud" Riffee, 91, of Given, W. Va., died Monday, Aug. 12, 2002, at his home after a brief illness. Mr. Riffee was born Oct. 10, 1910, in Putnam County, a son of the late Everett E. and Nora Kessell Riffee. He was retired from Boiler-makers Local 667 and was a former employee of Dunbar Glass Plant, Kanawha Glass and Phoenix of Monaca, Pa. He is survived by two daughters, Janet McCormick of Port Orange, Fla., and Carolyn Sue Fisher of Given; one son, Danny Riffee and his wife, Judy of Elizabeth; two sisters, Oma Sargent and Wilma Boggess both of Dunbar; 12 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Vesta Bailey Riffee. Services were held Thursday, Aug. 15, at 11 a.m. at Emma Chapel Church in Liberty with the Rev. Hubert Groves officiating. Burial followed at the church cemetery.