Roger Alan Huckaby

I started reading the generic, software generated obituary for Roger Huckaby, my father -- and knew instantly that he would hate it. It is impossible to get any sense of the man from a brief synopsis of his life and progeny, and a man of his presence deserves a tribute that gives at least the smallest sense of him.

It has been said of many, but Roger Huckaby was indeed the nicest person you'd ever meet. Everyone he encountered was guaranteed to walk away with a compliment. It could have been how nice you looked today. It could be how well he thought you were performing. It might even have been a declaration of your good character from a previous interaction. Even when his memory was fading -- he always remembered the goodness and successes of others. With a marvelous sense of humor, sharp wit, and an immensely endearing smile, Roger went through life as a force of positivity.

Born in Oklahoma City in 1933 to Roy and Pauline, Roger was a child of The Depression and WWII. While one could expect him to be frugal, selfish, or miserly like so many of that era, Roger was forever generous with his time and good fortune. Cosmic coincidence brought him into the world on Cinco de Mayo, which was always reflected in his joy of celebration, gathering, hot sauce that would make him sweat profusely, Tecate, and mild ribbing of the French.

Stories of Roger's childhood were full of wonder as his family moved around during and after WWII, ranging from boyhood antics in Puerto Rico to recollections of ten-plus-foot-deep snow while living in North Dakota. Some were even corroborated by his sister Dennie (Cohoon). He remained fond of travel and adventure late in life, and loved vacationing to places both familiar and exotic, preferring as many family members as possible for accompaniment.

Joining the civilian USAF, Roger would tell of an early job replacing vacuum tubes in a room-sized computer. He settled at Wright-Patterson AFB for a thirty-five-year career focused on computer programming and logistics. He retired from the Air Force and began working for a contractor, like everyone else around here. Roger hung up his work keyboard in 2004, but remained a tech-head for his entire life. He with the latest toys wins (my new 14 Pro surely was about to trigger an upgrade for dad).

At WPAFB, he would meet the most significant part of his life, in the form of Beckie. Despite her youth and excess baggage (waves "Hi!"), he was smitten with her beauty, sincerity, and devotion to her young son and family. After a lovely courtship I'm not allowed to know about, they were married. This marriage would yield two further daughters, Tiana and Kaylee, and six more grandchildren between us. Between what they referred to as "yours, mine, ours, and someone else's," the tally rose to six children and twelve grandchildren.

I have never known another couple more in love. Just two weeks before his passing, our conversation mainly consisted of how beautiful, generous, and wonderful Beckie is. He then relayed how wonderful his grandchildren were, each in turn, before returning to Beckie with an extra softness to his expression and an unmistakable gleam of affection in his eyes. He proudly proclaimed that every day of their forty-four years together was a treasure, and he always said it in a way that eschewed any disbelief.

A long life and an unfortunate accident took Roger from us on Dec. 30, 2022. I have never seen such a joyous outpouring of love. Everyone Roger encountered remembers him as a wonderful and kind person who brightened their day every time they met.

He is survived by six children: Marsha, Tonya, Jennifer, Ian, Tiana, and Kaylee.
And eighteen grandchildren: Crystal, Jessica, Patrick, Allie, Erin, Nathen, Payton, Gage, Marlee, Bergan, Jackson, Grace, Tanner, Hannah, Johnny, Bella, Calleigh, and Chandler.

Per Roger's wishes, there will not be a service.

In place of any flowers or gifts, please partake of his joy for people and the world. Speak with a loved one. Sit peacefully in the park. Perhaps most representative, compliment or otherwise positively engage with a stranger around you. At the very least, have some of your favorite ice cream to fill the gaps in your last meal.

Roger has been a fan of photography for decades. The books of analog aren't as easy to share, but we've pulled a few choice specimens from the digital age: Click Here to view the books.

To share a memory of Roger with the family, please click on the Share Memories button above.