Robert Jean Huhn

Robert Jean (Bob) Huhn, age 91, died at his home in La Habra, California on April 13, 2024. Bob was born on June 1, 1932 to Russell Erwin Huhn and Cleo M (Despain) Huhn in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He graduated from the Lowell elementary school in 1946 and Washington High school in 1950 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. That same year he graduated from the California Air College with a diploma in Airline Administration. He returned to Sioux Falls from California due to the activation of his Air National Guard Unit into the United States Air Force during the Korean War.

After separation from US Air Force he worked as a manager of a produce department at a local downtown grocery store and as an employee of a bakery in Sioux Falls. He used the Gl education benefit and attended Fenn College in Cleveland, Ohio and South Dakota State College (SDSC) in Brookings, South Dakota. He received his BSEE degree in December of 1958 from SDSC, now a university.

Bob began work with the Federal Aviation Administration in January 1959. He was assigned to Navaids Electronics Section of the Airway Facilities Division located in Los Angeles, CA. He installed electronic navigation aids throughout the 9 western states.

He was hired by the FAA Systems and Equipment Branch as Aerospace engineer of the Electrical Electronic section of the Aircraft Certification Division in September 1962. He found compliance to the FAA regulations for electrical electronic equipment on US aircraft manufacturers.

Bob married Ardyce Margery McCaleb on April 19,1963 at Inglewood Christian Church in CA. Their marriage lasted 50 years till cancer took Ardyce. They raised four children: Lesley A Huhn, Shereen L Beutler, Darrin J Huhn and Dionne D Medlin.

In 1969, at the recommendation of his supervisor for training experience, Bob went to work for the Flight Standards Division as an FAA inspector. He inspected FAA approved airport maintenance facilities and rode the Jump seat behind the airline pilot to evaluate the performance of the electrical electronic equipment on airline aircraft.

In 1974 he was hired by the FAA Aircraft Certification Staff in Brussels, Belgium. His duties were to aid European governments and aircraft and equipment manufacturers in finding compliance to FAA regulations for electrical electronic equipment installed on European aircraft.

The FAA hired Bob as Chief of the Electrodynamics section of the Flight Standards Service, Aircraft Certification Division in Washington DC in 1976. His duties were to produce guidance material for the FAA field offices and US aircraft manufacturers and expedite Mandatory corrective action on US aircraft.

In 1981 the FAA Seattle Aircraft Certification Office of the Aircraft Certification Division hired Bob to manage the newly formed Foreign Aircraft Certification Branch, that was formerly done by the Brussels office.

In 1987 he was transferred to the Division Manager's staff as a result of reorganization. He evaluated the FAA field office for personnel needs. He retired in September 1990 from FAA.

Bob was awarded a FAA Designated Engineering Representative card. He was a consultant for a number of aircraft modifiers.

Flight Structures, an aircraft modifier, hired Bob as their DER consultant for finding compliance to FAA regulations for their electrical electronic equipment installations. They also sent Bob to Bandung, Indonesia to aid the FAA certification of their twin turbo prop 50 passenger aircraft. Bob left Flight Structures as an on-site DER and became an independent FAA DER consultant. He ended his DER work in 2003.

Bob was an active member of the First Christian Church of Sioux Falls, South Dakota through high school. He maintained that church brotherhood relationship no matter where he was in the US or overseas. He and his wife were active in youth and mission programs. They served on many committees. Bob served in several leadership roles in the churches they attended. They loved Jesus and their lives showed it individually and as a team. Their recent church membership was Christ's Church of the Valley in Bakersfield, CA. Bob's last church he served was Whitter Area Community Church in Whitter, CA.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Ardyce M (McCaleb) Huhn, his parents, Russell E Huhn and Cleo M (Despain) Huhn, his grandparents Henry E Huhn and Etta F Huhn, Clair J Norris and Blanch Norris, his siblings Janet M Allbrook and Russell L Huhn, father-in-law Herbert McCaleb, mother-in-law Martha McCaleb, his brother-in-law Walt Allbrook, his sister-in-law Carole (Romeo) Huhn, his sister-in-law Marilyn (McCaleb) McIntosh.

He is survived by his sister, Judy D Stump; his children Lesley A Huhn (Merrilee), Shereen L Beutler (John), Darrin J Huhn, Dionne D Medlin (Greg); grandchildren, Garrett Murray (Stacey), Ashley Stark (Landon), Sadie McCoy (Daniel), Jacob Medlin (Emily A), Emily R Medlin, Noah Beutler; great grandchildren, Oliver Bord, Nolan Bord, Luna McCoy, Eleanor Medlin, Aurora McCoy, Finneas Stark, Atticus Medlin, Nova McCoy, Ogden Medlin; sister-in-law Jean (McCaleb) Williams and many nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives.

Memorial Services will be held on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Whittier Area Community Church.

8100 Colima Rd, Whittier, CA 90605

A private internment will be held at a later date.

The family request rather than flowers, memorials be sent to Sierra Christian Service Camp at 44503 Old Stage Rd, Posey, CA 93260.