George Kimball Huckins

Mr. George Kimball Huckins, “Huck”,of Topsfield, age 100, passed peacefully on September 6, 2023. Born on September 22, 1922, he was the son of the late Albert Kimball and Clara (Webster) Huckins. As a child, Huck enjoyed summers spent fishing and sailing on the ocean in Annisquam, MA. He was a golf caddy at the Lake Sunapee Country Club during his summers in high school. He later became the Caddy Master at Wentworth by the Sea Country Club. He graduated from Winchester High School, class of 1940, and attended the Holderness School for a PG year in 1941.He graduated from Syracuse University, School of Business in 1946 after serving in the US Army from 1943 to 1945. In the army, he was a Platoon Sergeant in the 166th infantry Regiment. He met his future wife Betty Marguerite Fennel while attending Syracuse University. They were married on September 25, 1948 and shared 55 years of marriage until Betty’s passing on December 3, 2003. Huck had a long and meaningful career at the NE Telephone Company from 1947 to 1984 and retired as the Assistant Vice President of the Information and Data Systems Department. During his career, he was transferred several times requiring relocation throughout New England until settling in Topsfield, MA where he lived for 56 years. Moderation was an integral part of Huck’s philosophy for life. He took great joy in simplicity and valued experiences, friends, and family above all else. His favorite activities included sailing, skiing, tennis, golfing, hiking, traveling and working in his yard. Huck loved New England sports. As a sports fan, he would often stay up until 1 AM listening to a Patriots or a Red Sox game, even at age 99. Huck was an active community member throughout his life and lived by the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.” He was a volunteer for Little League Baseball, Boy Scouts, Masconomet Football Boosters and he taught Sunday school at various Congregational churches. He was an active member of the Congregational Church of Topsfield and the Topsfield Historical Society. He and Betty were members of the Shindiggers square dance club and they danced weekly for decades. His proudest accomplishment was his close and loving family. He was a wonderful friend, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and neighbor. Huck loved people and will be remembered for his warm smile, positive attitude, and great sense of humor. He was survived by his most wonderful friend and companion, Constance Cobb of Hamilton since 2004, his children: Robert F. Huckins & wife Kristen of Crested Butte, CO, John W. Huckins, & wife Michael Greene of Crested Butte, CO, Marguerite Huckins of Ipswich, MA, and Elizabeth H. Cavalieri & husband Michael of Dover, NH. He is also survived by 5 grandchildren: Sarah Huckins, Thomas Huckins, Christopher Cavalieri, Alexander Cavalieri, and Dalton Huckins, as well as 2 great-grandchildren, Reese and Olivia Tyrer. He was predeceased by his wife Betty, his sister Jean Hawkes and his brother Robert Huckins. A service will be held on Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 10:30 AM, at the Congregational Church of Topsfield, with a collation to follow immediately after at the Emerson Center (across the street from the church.) In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in George’s honor to the Essex County Greenbelt Association.