Decatur Herald 3/25/1925

William J. Huff of the firm W.J.Huff & Son, lumber dealer died unexpectedly "Wednesday afternoon while playing golf at Biloxi, Miss. where with his brother Spencer E. Huff of Champaign, he had gone for a vacation. He and some Decatur friends were engaged in play when the end came. W. Lindley Huff, associated in business with his father said the he did not know the cause of death. While he knew that his father was not in robust health when he went to Biloxi, there had been nothing to indicate to the son that the health of his father was to be regarded as alarming. Nor had he ever heard that his father suffered heart trouble.
For almost 40 years W.J. Huff was engaged in the lumber business in Decatur. He had been in that business before he came to Decatur where he and his brother S.E. Huff with F.M. Gaddis brought what then was know as Thatcher Lumber Co., the business name being changed to Gaddis & Huff and later incorporated as Decatur Lumber & Manufacturing Co. When he retired from that company W. J. Huff was associated with his brother and later with his son in the conduct of a number of lumber yards in territory near Decatur. He maintained an office in Millikin bank building.
Since coming to Decatur W. J. Huff was a member of Grace Methodist church and had served as a member of the official boards of that congregation. He was for a number of years one of the men foremost in pushing the work of the Y. M. C.A.and had served as president of that organization.
W.J. Huff was born Dec. 27, 1861 in Coshocton county, Ohio and with his parents came to Douglas country Ill. in 1870. When he had completed his college course at Valpariso, Ind. he went to Cerro Gordo and with his brother S. E. Huff engaged in the lumber business for several years before coming to decatur.
W. J. Huff was married to Miss Cora A. Pitts, Aug 6, 1885. Her death occurred in 1889, leaving her son W. Lindley. the second marriage of W. J. Huff was to Miss Blanche O'Neal whose death occurred a few years later. His third marriage was to Miss Catherine Sherrick in 1907. Her death occurred in 1920.
In addition to his son, Lindley Huff of Decatur he leaves two brothers, Spencer E. Huff of Champaign and R. F. Huff of Cerro Gordo, also his sisters, Mrs. Ludinda Marquend Ogila Ks, Mrs. Catherine Potts, Decatur Mrs. Celia Peck Hidalgo.