James Huckaba

James Albert Huckaba, Ph.D. passed away suddenly on Tuesday, March 10th of complications from heart surgery. Jim was born on February 6, 1936 in Charleston, Illinois to James Ross and Eunice Tinsman Huckaba. He graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in June 1954 and married his high school sweetheart Beverly Ann McQueen on September 24, 1955. Immediately following two years of service in the Army, stationed in Ft. Riley, KS, Jim attended the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. In 1960, he earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics and Physical Education, going on from there to be a lifelong educator and mathematician. His teaching career began at the junior high school level where he taught math and coached football and track. In 1961, Jim began graduate school at the University of Wisconsin - Madison; in 1962, he went to the University of Iowa, where he earned his Masters and Ph.D. in Mathematics. He began his academic career in 1967 at the University of Missouri - Columbia as a researcher and Algebraist in the Department of Mathematics. During his tenure in the department, he mentored six Ph.D. students and taught and developed many undergraduate and graduate math classes. His portfolio of published work included numerous mathematical research papers in American and International math journals and two research books, "Commutative Rings With Zero Divisors", and as co-author of "Prufer Domains" with Dr. Marco Fontana and Dr. Ira J. Papick. He was an active member of the American Mathematical Society. He spent his entire career at MU, rising to the rank of full professor and contributing to the mission of the department and university before retiring in 2000. Jim is survived by his wife, friend, and soulmate of 53 years, Bev; his mother Eunice; his mother-in-law, Adeline McQueen; three sisters: Janice Wollerman, Sharon Murray (Donald)and Sandy Henson; his daughter Carol Lozano (Roberto) of Creve Coeur, MO; his sons Sam Huckaba (Marleena) of Tallahassee, FL and Andy Huckaba (Nancy) of Lenexa, KS. He was the proud grandfather of 14 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, numerous brother and sister in laws and nieces and nephews. Jim is preceded in death by his father Ross Huckaba, his father-in-law David (Irish) McQueen, and his great-granddaughter Sydne Lozano. Jim's greatest passions included Bev, the Chicago Cubs, mathematics, fishing and his grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 14, 2009 at the Missouri United Methodist Church, 204 South 9th Street, Columbia, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers and gifts, the family suggests a donation to the James A. Huckaba Scholarship Fund, c/o Dr. Carmen Chicone, Department of Mathematics, University of Missouri - Columbia, 202 Math Sciences Building, Columbia, MO 65211.