Don Booten Huey

Don Booten Huey, 89, was rarely without a twinkle in his eye and a laugh on his lips. He was endlessly charming with a warm playful spirit and friendly nature. Don passed peacefully on Sunday, October 4, 2020 in his home in Long Beach, Mississippi. Whether you knew him as Don, Mr. Huey, Daddy, Grandpa, or Poppa, he had a way of endearing himself from the moment you met. The warmth, joy, and laughter he brought to the world will be carried forward by all who loved him. Don was born in Little Rock in 1931 and grew up in Batesville, Arkansas. His earliest years inspired and modeled a lifelong belief - community is family. As a young teen he was fostered and supported by the people of Batesville. A notorious prankster, he remained friends with his childhood “partners in crime.” He enlisted in the United States Air Force, served in the Far East as a Medical Corpsman, and later enrolled at Memphis State College. There, at a late-night bridge game, he met the love of his life, Mary Ann Furlotte. They were married February 11, 1956 in Memphis, TN. Don left Memphis State shortly thereafter, returning some 40 years later to complete a degree in journalism. Together they had seven children. Don enjoyed wearing many hats but thought of himself first as a businessman: a restaurant and pizza parlor owner, a commercial and residential construction manager, a Walgreens sales representative, and a manager of many retail and drug stores, including Jones Brothers drug store in downtown Gulfport. Though he grew up in the Baptist faith, as a young adult he converted to Catholicism. His faith became a cornerstone and much of his life was devoted to service and ministry. In Long Beach Don found his permanent community and his second calling as a devoted member, volunteer, educator, and leader in the St. Thomas the Apostle Church. There he served as a Eucharistic Minister and religious educator in the parish’s Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults programs. After earning a master’s degree in religious education, he worked as a parish administrator and later oversaw renovations of St. Thomas church and school and construction of the new rectory. He continued to inspire and guide others as a religion teacher at Mercy Cross and Saint John High Schools. After Hurricane Katrina, Don worked with diocesan Catholic Social Services helping to rebuild the Gulf Coast community. A member of The American Contract Bridge League, Don was proud to have achieved Grand Life Master with his favorite partner, Mary Ann. He was also named King Scott 21st by the Carnival Association of Long Beach for Mardi Gras 1981. Among some of his happiest memories were the years he and Mary Ann spent traveling the US and Canada in their RV. Don took great pride in his family and was always happiest surrounded by the beautiful chaos that accompanies any Huey family gathering. To Don, family was bigger than blood. Everyone who visited the Huey household was instantly embraced as part of the extended family. And that family, bound by love, was his greatest pride and remains his greatest legacy. Don is survived by his sisters, Judy O’Daniel, Gwen Cecil, and Donna Pruett; his children, Linda Grusenmeyer (Patrick), Reatha Clark (Michael), Howard Griffith Huey (Anita), Patrick Huey (Rachelle), Narda Beckman (John), Andrew Huey (Anita), and Cara Steele (Mark); his grandchildren, Amanda, Erin, Megan, Matthew; Amanda, Sarah, Bradley, Jacob; Craig; Reagan, Taylor, Madison; Camille, Irene, Ella; Kevin, Kathleen, Kyle; and his great-grandchildren, Mallory, Abigail, Jacques Antoine, Thijmen Matthijs, and Jonah. The Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, October 30, 2020 at St. Thomas Catholic Church at 11:30 A.M. Visitation will begin at 10:00 A.M. at the church. Interment will be at Biloxi National Cemetery with military honors by the U.S. Air Force. The family requests memorial donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas PL, Memphis, TN 38105. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport is honored to serve the Huey family. View and sign register book at www.bradfordokeefe.com