Industry Loses Legendary Reformer and Visionary
Washington, D.C., February 8, 2013 – The manufactured housing industry has lost a leading visionary, reformer and tireless advocate with the death of Edward J. Hussey, Sr. on February 7, 2013.
After serving in World War II, Mr. Hussey was an accountant with Arthur Anderson in Detroit, Michigan. Several of his clients were manufactured home companies, including Guerdon Industries. Amazed by the potential of this industry, Mr. Hussey left his accounting practice in 1960 and purchased Liberty Homes, Inc. in Goshen, Indiana. Under his leadership, Liberty Homes grew steadily to become a regional and then national producer of manufactured homes and related types of factory-built housing. At the same time, with his boundless enthusiasm for the industry and its homes, Mr. Hussey quickly became a leading advocate for the advancement of safe, affordable manufactured housing, serving as Chairman of the Mobile Home Manufacturers Association (MHMA) from 1965-1967.
Later, recognizing the need for uniform, preemptive national regulation, Mr. Hussey rallied industry support for enactment of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 and was instrumental, together with other manufacturing colleagues, in relocating MHMA’s successor organization — the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) – from Chicago, Illinois to the Washington, D.C. area, where it remains today. Mr. Hussey subsequently served another term as Chairman of MHI from 1977-1979, during a key transitional period in the history of that organization and the industry as a whole.
In 1985, with evidence mounting that the federal program established by the 1974 law was on the wrong track, Mr. Hussey and a distinguished group of manufacturing colleagues pioneered the establishment of Association for Regulatory Reform (ARR) – later re-named the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) – as a national advocacy organization to represent, defend and advance the unique interests and concerns of federally-regulated producers of manufactured housing. As MHARR’s first Chairman, Mr. Hussey played an instrumental role in defining the fundamental mission of MHARR and in advancing those goals during MHARR’s formative years – key elements of a legacy which continues to be proudly carried forward to this day.
For all of his contributions to the industry and in recognition of his many years of tireless dedication and devotion to manufactured housing and affordable home ownership, Mr. Hussey was awarded the industry’s highest honor through induction into the MH/RV Hall of Fame in 1995.
Although troubled in recent years by health ailments, Mr. Hussey remained active and keenly interested in the wellbeing and advancement of the industry. His insight, intellect and straight-forward, unassuming manner, as well as his unyielding commitment to the industry will be greatly missed by his colleagues and countless friends in the industry and throughout the United States.
Mr. Hussey is survived by 9 children, 40 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
MHARR offers its sincerest condolences to Mr. Hussey’s family and wishes them well at this most difficult time.
The following information is provided for those who wish to pay their respects to Mr. Hussey and his family:
VISITATION TO BE HELD:
Friday, February 15, 2013, 4–7 P.M.
Yoder-Culp Funeral Home
1911 S. Main St.
Goshen, IN 46526
FUNERAL:
Saturday, February 16, 2013, 10:00 A.M.
Funeral Mass
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
417 S. Main St.
Goshen, IN 46526
CONDOLENCES MAY BE SENT TO:
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS MEMORIALS MY BE MADE TO:
“Eddie’s Treatment Fund” (for Ed Hussey IV who is being treated for leukemia)
c/o Ed Hussey
Liberty Homes
P.O. Box 35
Goshen, IN 46527
Wounded Warrior Project
P.O. Box 758517
Topeka, KS 66675
Van Andel Institute for Parkinson’s Research
333 Bostwick Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
www.VAI.org
