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Race promoter Bob Huff dies
”I’ve never talked with anyone who had bad things to say about Bob Huff – and that’s hard to come by for a racetrack promoter,” said former auto-racing announcer Windy McDonald.
Mr. Huff died Sunday evening in his Tucson home from congestive heart failure after a long battle with emphysema. He was 77.
A key figure in southern Arizona’s racing community for years, Mr. Huff dreamed of turning Tucson into a racing capital and helped bring some of the sport’s top talent to Tucson.
”Bob was always looking to show the best in racing,” McDonald said. ”He gave fans the chance to see top-caliber races.”
Among the events Mr. Huff helped bring to Tucson were the United Auto Club Midgets and the California Racing Association Sprint Cars, in the early 1960s, and the Winternationals in the 1970s.
In 1990, he was inducted into the Arizona Auto Racing Hall of Fame. He remains the only racing promoter among 41 people inducted into the hall, which was started in 1986.
Mr. Huff was born in 1922 in Camden, W.Va.
He attended DuPont High School in Belle, W.Va.; Greenbrier Military Academy in Louisberg, W.Va.; and took correspondence courses at LaSalle Institute in Chicago.
In 1943, he married Margaret Katherine Hammond in Ohio.
Health reasons brought Mr. Huff and his family to Tucson in 1951, and a few months later, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and told he had two weeks to live.
He spent two years recovering at a sanitarium and while regaining his physical strength, Mr. Huff studied aeronautics at McConnell Aero Tech.
”He was a very good electronic mechanic – he picked up that sort of thing very easily,” said Richard H. Huff, his younger brother.
”He just loved anything to have to do with aeronautics, automobiles, movement, speed . . . he was fascinated by mechanical speed.”
Mr. Huff’s passion for cars started at an early age.
”Even as a kid, when a car was approaching, he could tell what year it was made . . . by the time he was 21, he had had 17,” Richard Huff said.
And though he made his living working in television and satellite dish system sales and management, Mr. Huff’s main interest was always racing.
After several years as a motorcycle and stock car racer in the 1940's in West Virginia, he moved into race-promotion at the Tucson Speedway in the late 1950s.
He was elected president of the Tucson Auto and Cycle Racing Association in 1960, and held the position until 1962.
Over the years, Mr. Huff held various positions at Arizona’s racetracks, including general manager of Tucson Speedway (1958-66), assistant manager of Phoenix International Raceway (1964-67), owner and operator of Tucson Speedway (1967-68) and owner and operator of the Tucson Dragway (1970-78).
In addition to introducing sand drag races to Tucson Dragway and operating motocross racing at that course, Mr. Huff was a promoter for the American Hot Rod Association from 1972 to 1976.
In his book, cycling daredevil Evel Knievel named Mr. Huff as one of only two trustworthy racing promoters in the country.
”We grew up in racing – it was a lot of fun,” daughter Jeannie Jett said.
”He loved to tease us . . . and even throughout the end, he had his sense of humor.
”I’ve lost one of my best friends,” she said.
In addition to his wife, Margaret Katherine Huff, survivors are a daughter, Jeannie Jett; two sons, Daniel K. Huff and Richard C. Huff; a brother, Richard Huff; a sister, Betty Keenan; four grandchildren, Joseph Jett, and Chad Huff, Daniel Huff and Shelley Huff; and two great-grandchildren, Dylan and Joseph Jett.
Memorial services are pending.
The family suggests donations to Carondelet Hospice Service, 1802 W. St. Mary’s Road, Tucson, Ariz. 85745.
(Dated Nov 23, 1999)
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Lou Menk created railroad giant
PHOENIX – Lou Menk, who merged three railroads to create industry giant Burlington Northern, died of cancer Tuesday at his suburban Carefree home. He was 81.
Menk spent years fighting federal antitrust laws before succeeding in 1970 in merging the Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroads.
Burlington Northern became the country’s largest railroad with the longest single-line route and kept that status for more than a decade.
”I think in the minds of many, he will go down as the best railroader of our contemporary society,” said Fletcher Byrum, a Carefree resident and Menk’s friend for 40 years.
Before the merger, Menk worked as chief executive for the Northern Pacific; the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; and the St. Louis and San Francisco railroads. Burlington Northern acquired the St. Louis and San Francisco in 1980.
”Lou Menk was the guy who finally pulled off a merger that had been tried for three-quarters of a century,” said Steve Forsberg, a spokesman for what is now the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad. ”He was a visionary.”
Menk was preceded in death by his first wife, Jane (Swan), in 1983. He remarried in 1984 and is survived by his second wife, Mary Louise Menk. He is also survived by a son, David Menk; a daughter, Barbara Ambrose; one grandchild; two stepdaughters and two step-grandchildren.
”There couldn’t have been a more down-to-earth guy,” said Jim Jorden, Menk’s brother-in-law. ”He was tough. He had to be to get done what he did in business. But ‘honesty’ and ‘compassion’ are the two words that come to mind.”
He was such a driving influence that the Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad is on Lou Menk Drive.
”He was one of those quintessential larger-than-life individuals,” Forsberg said.
Menk retired in 1981 and later became chairman of then-financially troubled International Harvester, now Navistar.
Funeral services are planned at 2 p.m. Monday at Desert Hills Presbyterian Church in Carefree.
(Dated Nov 26, 1999)
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Ex-publisher Geehan a distinguished leader
James Geehan, editor and publisher of the Tucson Citizen from 1977 to 1981, has died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 76.
A dedicated newsman, Mr. Geehan culminated his 38-year-career as vice president and general manager of Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Geehan, 76, died Wednesday.
”He was a person of impeccable integrity,” said Mark Kimble, associate editor of the Tucson Citizen.
”Regardless of how the news affected the people he knew, he let the reporters write what they felt were legitimate news stories. He didn’t let friends or acquaintances get in the way,” said Kimble, who was a reporter and city editor during Geehan’s tenure at the Citizen.
”The news (business) was sacred for him,” said daughter Barbara Geehan Wilson, who followed in her father’s footsteps as a reporter and editor of several Gannett newspapers.
Mr. Geehan’s wife, Betty, said he was an ”ardent worker” for newspapers, even after he retired in 1986.
As a visiting ”editor in residence” at the University of Arizona and at other universities, he mentored many young people interested in the news field, she said.
Mr. Geehan began his career as a reporter for the Providence (R.I.) Journal-Bulletin. He worked there for 20 years, rising to state editor, managing editor and assistant general manager.
In 1968, he joined the Gannett Co. as editor of the Plainfield (N.J.) Courier-News. A year later, he was named editor and publisher of the San Bernadino (Calif.) Sun-Telegram, now The Sun, where he worked for eight years.
In 1977, Mr. Geehan took over the helm of the Citizen, succeeding William A. Small Jr., after Gannett bought the afternoon newspaper from Small’s family.
”He was an excellent newsman,” said Kimble, who kept ties with Mr. Geehan after he retired in 1986 from Gannett News Service in Roslyn, Va., and moved back to Tucson with his wife.
A lover of the outdoors, Mr. Geehan enjoyed camping, gardening and fishing in Arizona, his wife said.
Mr. Geehan was born in Somerville, Mass., and graduated from Brown University with a degree in economics.
Prior to working in newspapers, he served with the Army Air Corps in Europe during World War II.
”Jim was always true to his family, profession, friends and himself. He lived life to the fullest and found a lot to laugh about along the way,” his wife said.
The Geehans – who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June – were dedicated travelers. The couple camped all over the United States and visited dozens of countries.
Mr. Geehan was also active in the community, serving on several boards, including The Nature Conservancy, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Southern Arizona chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, St. Gregory College Preparatory School, the Foothills Forum and the Graduates Club.
In addition to his wife, survivors include son James of Oakton, Va.; daughter Barbara Geehan Wilson and her husband Floyd of Alexandria, Va.; daughter Janet Geehan Hoffman and her husband Kenneth of Alamo, Calif.; grandchildren Andrew Hoffman and Casey Elizabeth Hoffman; and sister Jean Waldron of Massachusetts.
Memorial services are pending.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road; the Alzheimer’s Association, 2221 N. Rosemont Blvd; The Nature Conservancy, 300 E. University Blvd.; or St. Gregory school, 3231 N. Craycroft Road.
(Dated Nov 27, 1999)
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Ex-Citizen publisher’s service set tomorrow
A memorial service for exTucson Citizen publisher James Geehan will begin at 3 p.m. tomorrow at Casas Adobes Congregational Church, 6801 N. Oracle Road.
Mr. Geehan, editor and publisher of the Citizen from 1977to 1981, died Wednesday after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
He was 76.
Mr. Geehan ended his 38-year newspaper career when he retired as vice president and general manager of Gannett News Service in Washington, D.C.
He began his career at the Providence (R.I.) Journal-Bulletin, where he rose from reporter to state editor, managing editor and assistant general manager.
In 1968, Mr. Geehan joined the Gannett Co. as editor of the Plainfield (N.J.) Courier-News. A year later, he was named editor and publisher of the San Bernardino (Calif.) Sun-Telegram, now The Sun, where he worked for eight years.
After retiring in 1986 from Gannett News Service in Roslyn, Va., Mr. Geehan moved back to Tucson with his wife, Betty.
In addition to his wife, survivors include three children, a sister and two grandchildren.
Donations can be made to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road; the Alzheimer’s Association of Southern Arizona, 2221 N. Rosemont Blvd.; the Nature Conservancy, 300 E. University Blvd.; or St. Gregory College Preparatory School, 3231 N. Craycroft Road.
(Dated Nov 30, 1999)
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Services Sunday for ‘Bob’ Huff, Tucson promoter of car races
A memorial service for longtime Tucson car race promoter Robert G. ”Bob” Huff will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at First Southern Baptist Church, 445 E. Speedway Blvd.
Mr. Huff, 77, died Nov. 21.
Over the years, he held various positions at Arizona’s racetracks.
They included general manager of Tucson Speedway (1958-66), assistant manager of Phoenix International Raceway (1964-67), owner and operator of Tucson Speedway (1967-68), and owner and operator of the Tucson Dragway (1970-78).
(Dated Dec 01, 1999)
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