James Leroy Haynes

Richmond TX - James L. Haynes, USAF, Retired, age 90, died January 19, 2023. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Kitty, three daughters, Kathy, JoRene, and Darlene, and son James D, and numerous grandchildren.

James was born in March 1932 in Portland, Oregon, and raised in Virginia alongside the Potomac River. He travelled extensively both in the military and civilian life and eventually called Richmond TX home.

He attended Western High School in Washington, D.C., and then Virginia Polytechnic Institute majoring in Forest Management. In 1952, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force achieving the rank of Technical Sergeant where he served six years before being accepted to Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Lackland AFB, TX. Jim was first in his class of cadets graduating in 1958 from OCS Class 58-B USAF. He served during the Korean War, did three tours in Vietnam as an EOD Bomb Tech with the Southeast Asia Mobile EOD Team, 7th Air Force and became the Officer in Charge (OIC) of that same unit.

His medals include the Airman's Medal for Heroism, three Bronze Stars with Valor device as well as for Meritorious Service, three Purple Hearts, Meritorious Service Medal, four Air Force Commendation Medals, Army Commendation Medal with V, Vietnam Honor Medal 1st Class, and Vietnam Service Medals, just to name a few.

Duty assignments included California, Colorado, Maine, Hawaii, Greece, Turkey (twice), and his last posting was as Director of Munitions at Andersen AFB, Guam. He served honorably and faithfully for 26 years in the USAF retiring as a Lt Colonel in 1979.

Jim decided, after working with bombs, a future "farm in Nebraska" was not for him, so, after retirement from the military, Jim and his wife Kitty commissioned a 32 ft Golden Hind ocean-going sailboat to be built in Plymouth, England, and spent the next 9 ½ years living aboard and cruising 40,000 miles, crossing the Atlantic twice, traversing both the canals of Europe and the Intracoastal Waterway along the U.S. east coast. Their son was born in Plymouth while aboard the boat. Eventually they landed in the Houston Texas area where Jim continued to challenge himself by starting a couple civilian careers including teaching commercial diving for 25 years at The Ocean Corporation in Houston, TX, Operations Manager for a diving company, served on the Fort Bend County Appraisal Review Board and volunteered at Oak Bend Hospital in Richmond.

Jim always remained active in life and in the outdoors and loved introducing kids to the concepts of being safe, knowledgeable and respectful of firearms, the land and conservation. As a result, he became involved with Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Fort Bend County 4-H Outdoor Sports Club and the Texas Youth Hunting Program. Building on his experience as a competitor on the Air Force Skeet Team, Jim and Kitty both became certified shooting instructors through 4-H, NRA and the National Sporting Clays Association, becoming a referee and shotgun sporting clays shooter as well. Always seeking to be the best, Jim achieved Hall of Fame status as a Hunter Education Instructor for Texas Parks & Wildlife.

As a young man, Jim learned Judo and became a world-class World Champion judoka. He achieved the rank of 6th degree Black Belt in 2005, the same year he was named Coach of the Year. As a competitor, he won Gold at the 2007 World Masters Judo Championship at the age of 75, defeating an opponent less than half his age.

Having found like-minded veterans, Jim became a member of VFW Post #3903 and DAV Chapter #233.

Parkinson's Disease finally sidelined Jim in his last two years – a condition associated with Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam.

Funeral and Committal will be at VA Houston National Cemetery on 10410 Veteran's Memorial Dr., Houston TX 77038 at 10:30 AM on Friday, February 10, 2023, followed by a celebration of his life at the Milton Brenner VFW Post #3903, 1903 1st St, Rosenberg, TX 77471 on February 10, 2023, at 12:30 PM; RSVP to hayneskitty@ gmail.com. Donations may be made in James memory to Milton Brenner VFW Post #3903 at above address.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/location/houston-cremation for the Haynes family.