Marlin James Huffine

Marlin James Huffine, 87 years old, from Fort Wayne, and New Haven, Indiana, passed away on August 29, 2022. He was born April 3, 1935 in Wren/Willshire of Van Wert County, Ohio, the son of the late Byron Huffine and Helen (Oechsle) Huffine.

Marlin was with Easter seals ARC since January of 1981. He retired from the Easter Seals Arc sheltered workshop in 2011 after 30 years working there. Marlin lived at group homes since 1999. He never met a stranger and he could remember names and events in his entire life. Marlin could tell you events that no one else could remember, and he could remember most every person in his life. He was very active in Special Olympics for many years. Marlin attended Bible Study, and church choir at One Heart Church on Washington Road. He also participated in many performances with the choir at the disability expo for Easter and Christmas performances. Marlin was involved at the Aktion club for more than 7 years, and served as a board member. He was one of the first members of the Aktion club. Marlin was on a bowling league for several years and has many medals and trophies from bowling leagues and Special Olympics. He volunteered at many different places, including Johnny Appleseed festival, food banks, and many other places. Marlin was awarded The Participant of the Year for group homes in 2016, and was honored at Ceruti's Banquet and Event Center with Mayor Tom Henry, and many from Easter Seals ARC, as well as his family. He has mentioned this many times. He walked all around New Haven to Dairy Queen and got a Strawberry Shake, then to Lassus Brothers station downtown New Haven to get Pepsi and Potato chips (to hide in his room), and brought his red flyer wagon to collect aluminum cans and deliver them to his nephew’s house (Randy Luebke). Marlin's favorite Restaurant was Bandido's, and he got to meet the owner Jimmy Schlender. He has talked about this meeting ever since. Marlin always celebrated his birthday at several different Bandido's restaurants over the years, never failing to order a Cheeseburger and Fries ...with a Pepsi, of course.

Family was everything to Marlin and he looked forward to every holiday to spend with his family. Marlin was very inventive for ways of doing things. He hid the chips in the bottom of a footstool in his closet and the Pepsi he hid in the basement. When he was in the hospital May 2020, he got the maintenance man cleaning his room to call his sister to let her know he is going home and he did not have a ride. Marlin remembers everything and most people he ever met. 10/16/2021 Marlin was in the hospital, a Chinese doctor comes into see him, Marlin said that he was Bill that Alice worked for him at the Chinese restaurant Pagoda Inn, and now he is a doctor. (His name was John.) Marlin was in the hospital for nearly a month and he said he wanted to go home and have a Pepsi party. He got to go home Friday afternoon on the 26th, and got to have his Pepsi party with his roommates. Marlin was very content at home, finally.

Marlin is survived by his sister, Alice (Huffine) Luebke of New Haven, IN; Nieces, Shelly (Luebke) Reihing of Churubusco, Angie (Luebke) Kissinger of Edon, OH; Nephews, Mike Luebke of New Haven IN, Randy Luebke of New Haven; grandnieces, Natasha Cole, Vanessa Luebke, Hannah Doctorman, Felisha Gaetz, Carissa Lomow, Courtney Ziko, Britney Ziko, Audrey Luebke, Autumn Luebke, and Tiffany Ziko; grandnephews, Nathan Luebke, Matthew Reihing, and Ethan Luebke; twelve great-grandnieces, and Eleven great-grandnephews.

A funeral service to honor Marlin's life will be held at 1:30 pm on Thursday, September 8, 2022, at D.O. McComb & Sons Maplewood Park Funeral Home, 4017 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, with calling one hour prior to the service. He will be laid to rest at Covington Memorial Gardens, Fort Wayne.

Memorial donations in his honor may be directed to Marlin's family c/o Alice Luebke. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for Marlin's family may be shared at www.McCombandSons.com.