[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E772]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN HONOR OF THE HONORABLE WILLIAM HUFF III

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 2015

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and 
solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to a respected 
public servant and outstanding citizen, the Honorable William Huff III, 
Tax Commissioner of Talbot County, Georgia. Sadly, Mr. Huff passed away 
on Thursday, May 14, 2015. Funeral services to celebrate his life will 
be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. at the Central High 
School Gym in Talbotton, Georgia.
  A life-long resident of Talbot County, Georgia, William Huff was born 
on November 11, 1945, the youngest of six children. After graduating 
from Ruth Carter High School in Talbotton in 1963, he enrolled in Fort 
Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia, where he became a 
member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and was recognized in Who's 
Who Among Colleges and Universities in 1966. He earned a Bachelor's 
degree in Social Sciences and a Master's degree in Guidance and 
Counseling.
  Upon graduation, Mr. Huff returned to Talbot County and taught at 
Ruth Carter High School from 1968-1970. During this time, he also was a 
part-time car salesman at Meadows Motors in Manchester, Georgia.
  In 1971, Mr. Huff was elected to the Talbot County Commission at the 
young age of 26, launching a career in public service that would span 
more than 40 years. Moreover, Mr. Huff's election to the Talbot County 
Commission earned him a place in history as the first African American 
elected to office in Talbot County as well as the youngest African-
American County Commissioner in the state of Georgia. In 1988, he 
became the first African-American Tax Commissioner in Talbot County. 
Not one to rest on his laurels, Mr. Huff also was a trailblazer in the 
business community, becoming the first African-American Ford dealer in 
the state of Georgia in 1975.
  Further demonstrating his enduring commitment to his community, Mr. 
Huff served on numerous boards, including the Talbot County Planning 
Commission; Upson Technical College; the Independent Farming 
Association; and the Ford Motor Association. He was appointed to the 
United States Selective Service System Board in 1998 and was also 
appointed to the Governor's Council on Aging by former Georgia Governor 
George Busbee.
  Maya Angelou once said, ``A great soul serves everyone all the time. 
A great soul never dies.'' William Huff is one such great soul, who 
served humanity in a special way. He devoted nearly four decades of 
dedicated service to the people of Talbot County through his meaningful 
contribution of energy, skill, and genuine passion. He was an honorable 
human being who loved deeply and, in return, was deeply loved. His 
impression on this earth extends beyond himself to the very wellbeing 
of Talbot County, and for it he will be remembered by the community for 
time to come.
  On a personal note, Mr. Huff was a dear friend of longstanding. I 
have truly been blessed by his friendship, counsel and inspiration 
throughout the years.
  William Huff is survived by his wife, Emma Jean; children, William 
Vincent, Reginald, and Jamie; eight wonderful grandchildren; and a host 
of other family members and friends.
  Mr. Speaker, my wife Vivian and I, along with the more than 730,000 
people of the Second Congressional District salute Commissioner William 
Huff for his dedicated service and exceptional impact on Talbot County, 
Georgia. I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join us 
in extending our deepest sympathies to Mr. Huff's family, friends and 
loved ones during this difficult time. We pray that they will be 
consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the 
days, weeks and months ahead.

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