James Frederick Huckaby

October 28, 1940 -

James Frederick Huckaby was born on October 28, 1940, in the piney woods of Northern Louisiana.
He is preceded in death by his wife Julianne Etta Fane Huckaby (Midgie), sister Billie Jean Mosley, nephew Jay Huckaby, and niece Rachel Avery.
He is survived by brother Gerald Huckaby, sister Becky Thomas, daughter Courtney Rorex, (husband Andy Rorex), son James N. Huckaby (wife Dawn Huckaby) and grandchildren Amy Huckaby, James R. Huckaby and Caden Rorex as well as his dog Ruby. 
Jimmie Fred, or Freddie, spent his childhood in Northern Louisiana and tried his hand after high school, working at the paper mill in his hometown of Hodge.
His stepdad told him he needed to go to college, and he could do so, due to the federal war orphan bill.
Freddie went on to Northwestern State University in Natchitoches where he met Midgie. He graduated and started teaching in Louisiana.
He found he could double his pay by moving to Nevada ($4800 a year and $100 stipend for being the principal).
He started his Nevada career in Austin, and after returning to Louisiana for a year, he ended up in Tonopah, NV, next moving back to Austin, where he, Midgie, Courtney, and Jamie lived for 10 years.
Fred finished his career in Battle Mountain, serving until his retirement as Battle Mountain High School Principal in 1993. Fred was believed to be the last principal to use corporal punishment.
His favorite saying was “3 days or 3 swats and the 3 days come with zeros in all your classes.”
He noted that no longer being able to give a parent permissive swat was a factor in his decision to hang up his principal hat and retire.
All joking aside, Fred took his role as principal very seriously and was inducted into the Nevada Interscholastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2012.
He continued to be involved in education after moving to Fernley, by serving on the Lyon County Board of Trustees for 12 years, serving his term limit.
He was the 2003 Nevada Parent Teachers Association School Board Member of the Year and the 2010 Nevada Association of School Administrator’s School Board Director of the Year.
Fred was a Lions Club member with 30-plus years of service. He was elected district governor for District 4 and traveled across the US, Japan, and Canada in this role.
Freddie came from humble beginnings, he and Midgie donated to every Fernley school every year because he wanted to be sure kids in need had something at Christmas. Fred also donated to the Northern Nevada Veterans Cemetery in honor of his father’s service to our country.
Everything Fred did in education and life was about excelling. He put this towards teaching, administrating, athletic officiating, and coaching. He was most proud that his children and grandchildren all went on to continue their education after high school. He was an avid outdoorsman and an incredible fisherman.
He caught fish in every water hole from Washington to Louisiana. He was very generous; giving just about everyone he met a gift, but you never knew what he would pull from his bag: a gold/silver coin, knife, lucky necklace, tool, or safety kit for the car.
 When inducted into the NIAA Hall of Fame, Fred stated it all in one sentence, “We (he and Midgie) are both retired schoolteachers and are very proud of the profession that has given us so much.”
There will be a Celebration of Life for James Frederick Huckaby on Saturday, October 14th., at Battle Mountain High School Gym 425 Weaver Avenue at 10:30 a.m.