Rev. Edsel Marion Huffstetler

Rev. Edsel Marion Huffstetler, 93, of Candor, passed away Thursday, August 4, 2016 at FirstHealth Hospice House. Rev. Huffstetler was born March 29, 1923 to George Graham and Jennie Lee Carpenter Huffstetler in the village of Tuckaseegee on the west bank of the Catawba River near Mt. Holly, NC. He attended public schools in Belmont, NC, graduating in the class of 1940 at Belmont High. In 1942 he married Mildred A. Helms, a classmate since first grade. He served in the US Army Air Corps with overseas service in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He graduated from Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC and Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA. For over 66 years he was an ordained Presbyterian minister, having pastored at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Chester, SC, First Presbyterian Church, Ellerbe, NC, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Panama City, FL, Buffalo Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC, Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church, Ellerbe, NC, Norman Presbyterian Church, Norman, NC, and Candor Presbyterian Church, Candor, NC. He had also filled in at some of the local Baptist churches. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Helms Huffstetler, sons, Edsel M. “Dick” Huffstetler, Jr., Jonathan Lee Huffstetler; brothers, Harold, Gerald and Zane Huffstetler and son-in-law, Larry Parsons. Surviving are his daughter, Karen Huffstetler Parsons; grandchildren, Anne Parsons Wood (Ricky), Sharon Parsons Tarlton (W.Tom); great grandchildren, Amanda, Daniel, Addison and Kennedy; great great grandchildren, Caroline, Libby and Lane; brother, Max Huffstetler and sisters, Libby Christenbury and Sybil White. Funeral services will be at 2 pm Monday, August 8, 2016 at First Presbyterian Church, Ellerbe, NC with Rev. Stan Layton and Rev. Dr. Jesse W. Bledsoe officiating. Interment will follow in Ellerbe Cemetery. The family will see friends from 6 to 8 pm Sunday at Briggs Candor Funeral Home in Candor and at other times at the home. Memorials may be made to the Montgomery County Rescue Squad or to FirstHealth Hospice.