Master Sergeant Alton (Al) Benton Huggins (U.S. Air Force, Retired) (82) passed away on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at his residence.
Family and friends are invited to attend his visitation on Sunday, March 25, 2018 from 12 o’clock until hour of service at James A. Dyal Funeral Home. Funeral service will begin at 1 o’clock at James A. Dyal Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Dorchester Memory Gardens, 11000 Dorchester Road, Summerville, SC. Flowers will be accepted.
Alton was born on October 5, 1935 on a sharecropper farm in upper Dillon County, SC, son of the late Henry Benton Huggins and Hattie Humphrey Huggins. Alton is predeceased by his wife Elizabeth Causey Huggins, two brothers Kenneth Huggins and Mike Huggins, one son Allen Benton Huggins of Eutawville, SC, daughter-in-law Ulrika Huggins and one sister Virginia Richbourg of Florence, SC. He is survived by his children Nina Maria (Dan) Matrazzo of Atlanta, Ga; Myra (Wayde) Walker of Summerville, SC; Craig Huggins of Summerville, SC; unbelievable beautiful granddaughters Mia Melody Matrazzo, Ryleigh Elise Walker and Natalie Elizabeth Walker; brother Reverend Henry Huggins of Newport, NC.
Alton attended Amarillo Jr. College, TX, University of Southern Mississippi and Rollins College, FL. Alton completed 81.5 hours, all night school with a 3.57 GPA. He received an Associate of Arts Degree in Accounting from Rollins College. Alton was employed with the Broyhill Furniture Plant in Summerville for 22 years where he was the Production Coordinator, Office Manager, Materials Manager, and Plant Manager. Alton was active in community affairs all his youth and adult years. Alton served as coach, manager, and youth governing board member in Little League baseball. He also served as an umpire in girls youth softball. He worked tirelessly to build a youth baseball complex at Patrick AFB, FL for which he received an Air Force Systems Command special citation. Alton was active in Boy Scouts serving on the troop committee. Alton was a coach with Dixie Youth baseball at Ladson, SC and Tom Connelly Field. While plant manager Alton worked several years with the Dorchester School District Two primary and adult programs. During his tenure as plant manager the Summerville Broyhill plant received a special citation for adult education excellence from the Department of Education in Washington, DC.
Alton served in the U.S. Air Force for twenty years and was a Vietnam veteran. He also served in Dhahran Saudi Arabia, and Frankfurt, Germany. Among his military awards are the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross.
A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jamesadyal.com.
ARRANGEMENTS BY JAMES A. DYAL FUNERAL HOME, 303 SOUTH MAIN STREET, SUMMERVILLE, SC 29483 (843) 873-4040.