Alton Huntley

Alton Alfred Huntley, 90, of Erie (formerly of Edinboro), died on Sunday, April 23, 2017 at the Erie Veterans Administration Medical Center.  He was born in Wesleyville, PA on February 16, 1927, the son of the late Cecil and Helen Huntley.

Al graduated from Wattsburg High School, then enlisted in the U.S. Army (1946-51) and served during the Korean War.  The G.I. Bill helped Al to attend college, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Edinboro State College and a Master in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. His graduate studies continued at SUNY at Buffalo, Penn State Behrend and Temple University.

The family is proud of the positive influence Al had on many students during his career in education, which began at Greensburg High School, where he taught Social Studies, Geography and Driver’s Education and coached junior high basketball.  At Technical Memorial Junior High in Erie, he taught Geography, was a Guidance Counselor and served as the Area Curriculum Coordinator for Erie, Warren and Crawford counties.  In 1972, he published an article entitled “Are Sabbaticals Obsolete?” in the Pennsylvania School Journal.  Prior to retirement, Al also worked as a Career Counseling and Placement counselor and as a Supervisor of secondary education student teachers at Edinboro State College.

Al was an active volunteer in many educational organizations, serving as past president of Phi Delta Kappa (Edinboro Chapter) and the Pennsylvania Association for Higher Education at Edinboro State College.  He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the National Education Association, the Middle Atlantic School & College & University Staffing Association, the National Education Association Task Force on Higher Education (1973-74), the PSEA Board of Directors (1972-74) (1976-80), the PSEA Northwestern Region President (1976-80), and the NEA Director for Pennsylvania (1979-83).

Also active in community affairs, Al was a charter member and past president of the Edinboro State College Employee Credit Union.  He served on the Borough of Edinboro Council (1970-73), as Mayor of the Borough of Edinboro (1974-77), and on the Edinboro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (1971-73).  Al was a past president of the Church Men’s Council, a charter member of the Edinboro Foundation Board of Directors (1968-70) and a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1976.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Jean Marie (Hess), a brother, Howard Huntley, and two sisters, Betty Huntley and Shirley Baker.

Best known as “Pal Al” by his friends and family and “Pa” by his grandchildren, he is survived by two daughters, Linda Huntley Wills (Garth) and Diane Huntley (Chuck); a son, Dale Huntley (Debbie); two sisters, Esther Northrup and Agnes Huntley (Jim); grandchildren Shane Huntley Wills (Gretchen), Andrew Hudson Wills (Sandra), Charles Tyler Freeman, Lauren Freeman Teague (Brent), and Charles Deric Freeman; and, great-grandchildren Dylan Francis Wills and Mary Grace Wills.

The Glunt Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. in Edinboro is handling funeral arrangements.

No calling hours will be observed.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 128 Sunset Drive, Edinboro.

Burial of ashes will be in the Edinboro Cemetery next to his wife, Jean, who was laid to rest in 2016.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Al and Jean Huntley to the General McLane Library, 11761 Edinboro Road, Edinboro, PA or the Edinboro Volunteer Fire Department, 125 Meadville St., Edinboro, PA 16412. To send condolences, please visit www.gluntfuneralhome.com.