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Tale of Two Board Presidents: Dr. George and Marjorie Hucker

By Becky Chapin, Archivist

Born in Iowa in 1893, George Hucker attended Lenox College for his bachelor’s degree, Columbia University for his master’s, and Yale for his doctorate. His first wife, Ethel Alice McKenzie, was born in Indiana in 1893 and also attended Lenox College, later graduating from Iowa State Teachers College. George and Ethel married in 1917 and came to Geneva in 1919 when Dr. George Hucker was hired at the NYS Agricultural Experiment Station (now Cornell Agritech).

Dr. Hucker was a bacteriologist who went on to be internationally recognized in the 1920s and 1930s for his research involving bacteriological problems in milk and milk products. After Cornell relocated the station’s dairy to Ithaca, he moved onto studying the microflora of frozen foods. In his time working at the station, he made over 200 publications and was the US delegate for a number of international conferences. After 44 years on staff, he retired at age 70 in 1963.

Before and after retirement, Dr. Hucker would serve on the Geneva General Hospital board of Trustees, Board of Directors of the Rochester Regional Council of Hospitals and headed GGH’s medical staff recruitment program. During his 10-year tenure as Historic Geneva’s board president, Dr. Hucker is credited with almost ‘single-handedly designing and promoting’ a $100,000 addition to the Geneva History Museum in 1965.

While the rear addition to the building was called the Red Room (after the carpet), it was eventually renamed the Dr. George J Hucker Gallery in honor of his dedication to the organization. Dr. Hucker participated in a number of community organizations including the Geneva Community Chest, Geneva Country Club, Finger Lakes Torch Club, and Rotary Club.

Ethel was also involved in numerous community organizations including the Woman’s Club, Catherine Foster Hopkins Art Reading Club, Geneva College Club, Girl Scouts, and was a charter remember of the Chapter AK of PEO Sisterhood. In 1965, Ethel passed away.

Marjorie Lattin was born in 1910 in Carlton, New York. She graduated from Geneseo Normal School in 1930 (now SUNY Geneseo) and received a bachelor’s degree with elementary school principal’s certificate. Marjorie married Rodney Cook of Camden, New York in 1933. They moved to Geneva soon after where Marjorie took a job as a kindergarten teacher at Prospect Ave School.

After teaching kindergarten and 4^th grade, she became principal of the school five years later. Rodney was working as a coal dealer for a Buffalo company when he died in 1963. Marjorie did post graduate work at Cornell, Syracuse, and Columbia Universities and was very involved with the SUNY Geneseo alumni group she helped organize in 1930.

As a member of the Prospect PTA, she served as its president in addition to serving as president of the Geneva Teacher Association. Marjorie served on a number of committees in the school system including the Geneva Inter-School Committee and Committee for Teacher Retention and Recruitment and organized the North St School Spring Fair.

In 1948, Marjorie transferred to North Street School where she served as principal until 1965. After one year as principal at West Street School she retired as the Grand Lady of the Geneva school system.

Some time between January 1966 and her retirement in June, Marjorie and George Hucker were married. Marjorie was elected president of the SUNY Geneseo alumni association, and eventually was elected to the executive board for all the SUNY alumni groups in 1976.

While Dr. Hucker was no long president of Historic Geneva board, he continued to be involved with the organization. His foresight to create over 70 audio reels with oral histories and take regular photos around Geneva and of our own events, have been an incredible addition to the late 20^th century part of our collection.

Marjorie was involved in the Women’s Council of the Geneva Historical Society which ran the Wassail Bowl and Antique Show and Sale at Rose Hill Mansion, serving as chairman for both committees. In 1976, she was elected to serve as the board president and re-elected for a second term the following year. After her term was up, she continued serving on the board.

In 1986, George and Marjorie were selected as the 1984-1985 Citizen of the Year for Geneva. Each had submitted the other’s resume and had been told their spouse was being honored at the event. Instead, both were shocked to discover they were being jointly awarded.

Dr. Hucker was known for his extensive knowledge in American and English silver, speaking on the subject in Geneva and surrounding areas. He passed away in 1988. Marjorie was given the Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 1982 at the annual conference of the SUNY schools. She passed away in 1992.