Harold Terry Hugghins

Harold Terry Hugghins, 87, passed peacefully in his home on Thursday, February 2, 2023, in Fleming Island, Florida. He was preceded in death by Marcia Greene Hugghins, his beloved wife of 62 years.

Born on May 13, 1935, to Henry Terry Hugghins, Jr. and Willie Alva Sullivan Hugghins, Harold was raised in Georgiana, Alabama. He attended Auburn University briefly before enlisting in the Navy in 1954.

His first duty station was Buckner Bay, Okinawa, Japan for service on the USS Pine Island – Ship AB12, a seaplane tender. There, he worked in maintenance, repair, and refueling for the seaplane’s patrolling that area. During this time, supervisors noticed his technical talents and offered him the opportunity to work in an emerging field.

In 1955, he was assigned to NAS North Island in San Diego, where he trained to operate the IBM 402 Tabulator and key punch machine, an early form of computing. As Cold War computing advanced, so did Harold’s career in the Navy; taking up posts in Washington, D.C., San Diego, Jacksonville and Ft. Ritchie (aka the Underground Pentagon). Harold’s final assignment was at Fleet Intelligence Center US Naval Forces Europe, London, UK. Over the years, he progressed through the Enlisted and Warrant Officer ranks, retiring as a Lieutenant in 1977.

While stationed in Washington in 1957, Harold found himself with extra time on his hands after the duty day had ended. He secured a part-time job with IBM as a computer technician. Mr. Joe Greene was his boss. Mr. Greene’s daughter Marcia was attending the University of Maryland and needed a part-time job. So, Mr. Greene asked Harold to teach his daughter how to run a key-punch machine. Harold accepted the mission that began a romance that led to marriage later that year. On July 31, 1957, the 22-year-old Harold wed 21-year-old Marcia in the chapel at Arlington National Cemetery.

Marcia and Harold lived in Maryland while Marcia earned master’s degrees in library science and speech therapy. In 1972, they moved to London for the Navy and she worked as a speech therapist. After Harold’s retirement from the Navy in 1977 they returned to Jacksonville, where they had begun acquiring real estate during their previous duty tour. During all of these duty stations, Marcia practiced speech therapy and helped hundreds of students. She retired from Duval County Public Schools in 2007 after 30 years of service and many of her former students remained in touch.

In 1978, Hugghins founded Double H Supply, the largest manufactured housing parts supplier in a 200-mile radius at the time, and faithfully served customers until retiring in 2008.  Thereafter, he and Marcia enjoyed involvement in the community and frequent trips to their farm in Arkansas.

Harold is survived by four younger siblings, Patricia Morrow, Marion Hunter and husband Gilbert, William Hugghins and wife Melanie, and Linda Bolling.

Also surviving Harold, are his nieces and nephews, Bert Hunter and wife Melissa, John Morrow and wife Laura, Anne Hunter, and Erin Bolling, great nephews, Henry and Robby Hunter, and long-time friend and neighbor, Penny Mosley.

Harold’s warm kindness, sense of humor, and generosity will be missed by all who knew him.