Clinton's (IL) Number One Fan

The Clinton Journal
BY: Tim Moran
Posted: Monday, Mar 1st, 2010

"As true as they come, Paul Huffman is, and always will be a Clinton Legend."

Sadly, Clinton athletics’ biggest supporter over the last 60-70 years passed away Saturday in Decatur at age 86.
For years, if one were to attend a Clinton High School sporting event, there’s a good chance Paul Huffman was there.
Paul never had a child or grandchild on the team. Many nights were cold and rainy and Paul often had no mode of transportation. But there he was, every night in row one, cheering on his beloved Maroons.
And in basketball season, after Paul would cheer on the Maroons win or lose, he would sweep the floors.
He spent years as a custodian for the school. He called that job “a highlight” of his life.
Before the game, Paul would be seen standing at attention, proudly singing the Star Spangled Banner.
He was indeed Clinton’s number one fan. No one was prouder of the town he loved, and no one was loved more than Paul.
“You just can’t say anything bad about Paul,” neighbor Vera Bright said in a 2009 interview with the Clinton Journal.
“He made sure that if you were his friend, you were his true friend. You can’t find anyone who would say anything bad about Paul.”
If someone was meeting Paul for the very first time, they would feel like they were talking to a longtime friend.
Who were Paul's friends in town?  Everyone.
"Paul is never a stranger," friend Joel Hendricks said.  "He can make conversation with everybody and will always remember you."
Not only did Paul attend every sporting event for years, he would be seen at all community events and parades.  Whenever someone was being honored, Paul would make a point to be there.
"Paul is the ultimate Clintonian," longtime friend Cyndie Andrews said.  "He has given this community his humble all."
"I would see him at games and wonder how he got there.  And then afterward he disappeared seamingly like magic to show up at the next sporting event, parade, funeral, visitation or whatever the Clinton agenda was for that day or evening."
He was as good of a man as Clinton ever had.
Paul would often be seen with some of his closest friends at Darvin's Barber Shop in his later years.
"Everyone looked out for Paul and he would help anybody," friend Darvin Volker said.  "Everybody did Paul right and he never had trouble getting a ride anywhere."
As true as they come, Paul Huffman is, and always will be a Clinton Legend.