I miss him. Jim was my 'Big' cousin growing up. We (Martha, Becky and I) always looked forward to going to see our Coryell county cousins, aunts, uncles, grand folks and kin during summers. Going to Gatesville, among all those beautiful trees and grass and lakes and rivers, was a thrill to me. It was pretty dry way out West in Pecos where we lived. Green things, rivers, lakes and squirrels in trees were amazing things to me then. Mickey and Roger and most of that bunch came to see us sometimes too. I guess the desert critters and 6' tumble weeds seemed just as unusual to them as tree squirrels seemed to me when we were so young. Mickey was always a big splash at our town's swimming pools. I remember him really enjoying the Balmorhea pool several times. I miss the days he took me for rides on his Cushman motor scooter in Gatesville. Michey, Roger and Gerry were kind of a center of my memories of summers back then. Thank you for the good and kind memories, big guy.

My family has lived nextdoor to Jim and his wife Niki for about 17yrs. Lovely man, lovely family. We shared several Thanksgivings and other special times together. He will be greatly missed. Much love and prayers for his family during this time.

I first met big Jim Huckabee in April, 1969, when we, along with 4 other OSI Special Agent trainees arrived at Bolling AFB, in Washington D. C.  We all were billeted in one of the old WWII barracks on base.  Jim and I hit it off immediately and were assigned to the same two-man room.  As I mentioned in my book, The Hobbyshop Boys, Jim had gotten to the barracks before me and had taken what I would consider to be the better bed.  So, when I was assigned to that room, by Bill Bergland - the ranking man in our barracks, I walked down the hallway and entered the room.  I immediately noticed a Man Mountain laying on the better bed.  He got up an stuck an enormous hand out and said Hello, I'm Jim Huckabee.  I, of course, had to tease him about that deep Southern draw and told him I was from Tulsa, OK.  We spent the rest of the day getting to know each other.  I was told that if I liked Country Music, we would get along well.

We went through the 12 week Special Agent School, in the old Tempo E building on the Mall in downtown D. C., and spent a lot of time together.  We became best friends.  After graduating from the OSI School and becoming Special Agents, we then went through the 6 week Technical Agents School together.

After completing that school, we were stationed together at our first OSI Field Office,  OSI District 4, in Suitland, MD.  We worked together almost daily for the next two years.  At that time, I transferred to OSI District 41, in Okinawa.  We remained in occasional contact from that time until Jim worked at the Texas School for the Deaf.  After Dolly passed away, we kind of lost contact.  I didn't know that Jim worked for Lockheed or CACI.

I knew that Jim was having some sight problems while at the school, as I had asked him to review my book before it was published and he had told me that he was having problems then.  That was about the last time I talked to him.

I was taken back when I heard from Jim Francis that Jim had passed away.  Even though we had lost contact in his later years, it still came as a shock to me.  I can easily say, without any trouble, and without any feeling of uneasyness, - - - I loved that big Texan!  Hopefully, we will meet again.

Jack Dyer

OBITUARY

James Michael Huckabee

May 9, 1940 – February 23, 2019

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