Wednesday, July 30, 2008

John Huckins


John Francis "Huckleberry" Huckins died peacefully July 6, 2008, concluding 86 years of non-conformist trendsetting and trailblazing. John grew up in 1920's Los Angeles and Orange County, the son of a merchant marine father and high school teacher mother. In his senior year of high school, he discovered the emerging sport of surfing, launching a lifelong fondness for do-it-yourself outdoor pursuits. When World War II interrupted his study of cinema at USC, John trained as a photographer and applied his skills to mapping China as part of the 14th Air Force group known as the Flying Tigers.

Upon his return to civilian life, John optimized his GI bill, learning to ski while wintering in the Sun Valley parking lot in his panel truck, graduating from USC with a teaching degree and wooing his sweetheart Shirley who shared his dream of foreign adventures.  After a year teaching in Honolulu and studying Hawaiian songs, they married in 1951, then traveled widely through Europe, teaching, camping, skiing and biking with daughter Anne in tow.

Settling in San Juan Capistrano, CA in 1959, John excelled in educational administration during the week and surfing on the weekends.  Son George was added to the family in '61 and the Huckins' clan spent many magical days and nights amid the surf riders and bamboo room singers on the beach at San Onofre.

By the late 1960's southern California had lost its charm, so the family relocated to the northern Sierras where John accepted the role of Gentleman Reading Specialist, supplementing the 3 R's with 3 chords on his folk guitar. As he acclimated to the relaxed pace of rural West Point, John embraced his love of the outdoors, leading the family on memorable camping and backpacking trips throughout the west. During this time his creativity garnered him top awards in the West Point parade for his float entries including Giant Cigar, Hell's Angel, and Pogo Bunny.

After John retired from teaching, he and Shirley moved to Idaho's Wood River Valley, settling in Hailey. Idaho proved to be fertile territory for 15 years of quality retirement that included skiing, biking, hiking, motor home trips, tennis and music.  In 1998 John shook the local music scene with the release of "Idaho Living Room," his collection of original songs celebrating his newly adopted home.

In 1999, John and Shirley left the snow of Idaho for the sun of St. George, Utah, where they lived in warm bliss until Shirley's passing in 2003. For the last time, John packed up his truck and headed west to Seattle to enjoy his final years near his beloved Pacific Ocean.

John is survived by daughter Anne in Seattle and son George in New York.




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