Dr. Elton Mac Huddleston, 79, passed away on August 27, 2023, at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo, Mississippi, after a life marked by service to his fellow man. He was born September 16, 1943, and was raised in Holmes County, Mississippi, by his beloved grandparents. He graduated from Durant High School and later went on to Mississippi State University, where he studied accounting and was a member of the ROTC. After graduating from MSU, he served in the United States Army, flying helicopters in Vietnam, and later serving as a flight instructor. He held the rank of Captain and was recipient of the Bronze Star and Distinguished Flying Cross, among others. After his military service, he obtained his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University and worked as a veterinarian in north Mississippi, including Pontotoc. He worked for several years for his alma mater, Mississippi State, in both the College of Veterinary Medicine, where he was among the first faculty, and the Division of Development before eventually settling back in Pontotoc, where he was known by his friends as “Dr. Mac” and worked many years as a large animal veterinarian and was executive secretary of the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association and Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine. Later in his career, he served the citizens of Pontotoc County as sheriff’s deputy and later criminal investigator for the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department before being elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives, where he served the people of District 15 from 2008 until his death. In the legislature, he served as chairman of the University and Colleges and Ethics committees and was previously vice-chairman of the Appropriations committee. He was a longtime member of West Heights Baptist Church in Pontotoc and led the Praise Sunday school class for many years.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Elton Mac Huddleston, Sr., and Matilda Claudell Ellington Houston, and his grandparents, Luther Pearson McLellan, Amber Ellington McLellan, John Oliver Huddleston, and Fannie McDonough Huddleston.
He is survived by his wife of thirty-two years, Dr. Flavia Ruth Hutchinson Huddleston, of Pontotoc; four children, Robert McLellan Huddleston and wife Kimberly of Wren, Meghan West Foley and husband William of New Albany, Dr. Edward Mac Huddleston of Birmingham, Alabama, and Amber Claire Brown and husband Griffin of Southaven; four grandchildren, Aubrey Kay Huddleston of Wren and Stella Ruth Foley, William Deacon Foley, and Charlotte James Foley, of New Albany.
Services will be held Tuesday, August 29, at 2pm at West Heights Baptist Church in Pontotoc, with visitation on Monday, August 28, from 5pm until 7pm and on Tuesday from 1pm-2pm.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Neal Anderson, Nickey Browning, Dr. Marty Caldwell, Ricky Ferguson, Bobby Howell, Chris Hutchinson, Dr. Ed Kennedy, Vince Mangold, Leo Mask, Bill McLellan, Dr. Randy McWhirter, Dr. David Newell, Martín Torres, and Gene York.
