James Walker Haynie

James Walker “Jim” Haynie of Mountain Home died peacefully at home at the age of 98 on Wednesday June 7, 2023.  Family and friends are invited to a gathering on July 15, 2023 from 2-5 PM at Moon Shadow Haven in Mountain Home.  It will be a “come and go” event to share memories and stories of Jim’s life.

       Jim was born in San Antonio, Texas on October 25, 1924 to Clint Olive and Gladys Walker Haynie.  They moved to Corpus Christi when Jim was a child where he enjoyed sailing and boat building.  Jim met Loraine Estes as a teenager while visiting Mountain Home and they were married on July 15th, 1944.  Jim attended the Texas A & M College for a year before entering service in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was sent to Officer Candidate School and flight school and earned his wings before transitioning into the B-17 bomber.  He was then sent overseas to England with the 452nd bomb group of the 8th Air Force.  Jim flew 13 combat missions over Germany before the war ended and numerous post-war missions including humanitarian missions such as food drops over Holland.  He was a member of the “Lucky Bastard Club” that survived the war as a bomber pilot and never lost a crew member.  Jim was discharged after the war and came home two weeks before his 21st birthday, having endured much at such a young age.  He worked at a number of jobs including Humble Oil and owned a service station before going back to school to finish his degree and start teaching. He continued studying and eventually earned a masters degree in Industrial Education.

         Jim taught at South Plains College in Levelland and Wharton Junior College before moving on to the Texas Education Agency where he developed vocational programs in junior colleges statewide.  He retired after 20 years in education and moved back to the Hill Country to help Loraine’s parents.  Hill Country Pump Service was started in 1980. He and Loraine enjoyed serving their neighbors and working outside together.  Even with the long days at the pump company he was a faithful member of the Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department and served for many years on the Board of Directors of Hill Country Telephone Co-op and Texas Farm Bureau.  Jim was widely regarded by the community as “one of the finest men they ever met”.  

          Jim is survived by his wife Loraine and their three children: daughter, Marie Hardy and her daughters Libby Knaggs (AJ) and Ginny Stehling; son, James E. (Karen) and his children Jill Haynie and Chris Haynie (Netty); and daughter, Beth Mize (Butch) and her son David Cox (Jaimie) and daughter Lori Richards (Doug). He and Loraine have twelve  great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

        Donations in Jim’s memory may be sent to the non-profit organizations: Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department,  P.O. Box 191, Mountain Home, Tx 78058, or to Hill Country Cowboy Camp Meeting, P.O. Box 444, Ingram, Tx  78025.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Kerrville Funeral Home. (830) 895-5111