George Huntingford Sr., 92, of Chimacum was "a millionaire for a little while" last week before he opted to give his $2.1 million in Lotto jackpot winnings to two sons.

He has played the same Lotto numbers - with occasional variations - fairly consistently for almost two decades. The numbers aren't exactly significant, just consistent, he said. On Sunday, Aug. 30, George Sr.'s son Howard Huntingford, 53, did what he always does: He picked up the newspaper and read off the winning numbers from the previous night: 03-10-21-25-43-45.

"I've got 'em," George Sr. said without hesitation. Just like that, the lifetime Chimacum resident was $2.1 million richer.

He didn't turn the ticket in right away. He spoke with his family about what to do with the money. George Sr., who has three sons and three daughters, "These boys helped me put you all through college," and together the family decided to split the winnings between George Huntingford Jr., 66, and Howard - both of Chimacum.

Last Thursday, George Jr. and Howard drove to Olympia and turned in the ticket. After taxes, the pair will split $63,000 annually for 25 years.

The game

George Sr. began purchasing Lotto tickets through Washington's Lottery after he learned he had diabetes.

"I couldn't have bourbon anymore, or gravy or all those sweets and pies," he said. So he played the Lotto.

"People said, 'George, what are you playing that for? You'll never win.' I told people I was like an old steer - just keep trying. Plus [the money] goes to the schools, so I play."

He hadn't played recently, though. For a while, George Sr. had a sore foot that kept him primarily at home. But ever since his wife, Sally, died in 2000, George Sr. has made it a tradition to go out and celebrate her birthday. So his oldest daughter, Fran Gunn, got him out of the house and took him to the Fountain Café in Port Townsend on Thursday, Aug. 27.

On the way back to George Sr.'s home, the pair stopped at Chimacum Chevron, where he usually purchases his Lotto tickets.

"I thought, 'I didn't spend no money today; I'll buy a couple tickets,'" he said.

The payoff from the $1 ticket was unexpected.

Farmers

George Sr. has been a farmer all his life. His father arrived in Chimacum and built the homestead in 1868. Until 2004, the family owned Gee Jem Dairy.

Howard and George Jr. worked the farm while their other siblings attended college. But tough times - such as poor drainage whenever Chimacum Creek flooded in the valley - convinced the Huntingford clan to sell the dairy farm.

"George Jr. had a heart attack along the way, Howard broke his knee along the way, and finally they gave up the dairy," George Sr. said.

The family is still in the beef business, but winning the Lotto definitely lifts some financial stress.

"I'm just glad I've got some room to buy something extra if I want to," Howard said.

He's considering giving up his 1989 Ford Taurus, which has more than 200,000 miles, for a newer - but not new - pickup. He also might purchase some cows to take care of, but not for business.

The family has no plans to go back into the dairy business, both Howard and George Sr. said.

"I'm just happy for my two sons that worked so hard on the farm," George Sr. said. "When it was good drainage, it was one of the best farms in the valley."

Even though he said he would not see or spend any of the money, George Sr. is still fielding plenty of phone calls. As he spoke to The Leader in his home, one woman called from Port Townsend to congratulate him.

"I worked at it a long time to get those lucky numbers," he told her with a smile.

It's the first time George Sr. has won anything since his time as Jefferson County commissioner, he said. He served his first two-year term from 1946 to 1948, back when you could only serve once. He took four years off. Then the law changed to allow for multiple terms, so he ran and served again from 1952 to 1972.

His nephew Glen Huntingford served as a county commissioner from 1992 to 2004.

Share the wealth

A week after he purchased the winning ticket, George Sr. walked into Chimacum Chevron, bought two more tickets, and then informed the staff that he was the big winner.

"We're glad it's somebody local and that they can use the money," said Regina Lee, co-owner of the family-run gas station and convenience store.

"George is a regular. He comes in here sometimes three times a day. He's a nice guy," added co-owner YC Grimaud, Lee's mother. "Lots of customers told us that the right person got the money, so they are happy."

But the Huntingfords aren't the only people who will benefit from the jackpot. Chimacum Chevron will receive a $21,000 commission for selling the winning ticket.

Grimaud said that after she gives some of the money to her employees and makes a donation to her church, she would use the rest to host a customer appreciation day with a barbecue sometime in the next month.

This is the first time in 17 years that a jackpot ticket has been sold in Jefferson County. Jacqueline Trimmer of Brinnon won $6 million in February 1992 from a ticket purchased from the Washington State Liquor Control store located in Brinnon at the time.