James LaRoy Hunter

Not a crisis ------ but…..

NM5JH has become a silent key. 

James LaRoy Hunter (Jim) was born on 7 July 1944 to TSgt Roy and Ercyl Kemp Hunter. He always liked to tell folks he lived with several women – all of them his aunts – for the first year of his life.

Jim and his family moved to Marquette, Iowa, after his dad was discharged from the army. Jim lived there for the first eighteen years of his life. He graduated from Mar-Mac High School in 1962, then went to Iowa State University to pursue a degree in aero-space engineering. Soon Jim decided college was not for him so he joined the Air Force in January 1963. He also married his high school sweetheart, JoAnn Klotzbach. 

Jim had several assignments as an enlisted man – basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX; Russian language school at Syracuse University, NY; radio school at Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX; radio intercept at Karamursel, Turkey; photo intercept Offut AFB, Omaha, NB. While in Omaha, Jim was selected for the AECP program which allowed him to get a degree in Police Administration (now Criminal Justice) at Michigan State University and be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in June 1969. In order to get that commission, he was back at Lackland for Officer’s Training School.

Jim’s first assignment as an officer was Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, MT. His family was able to accompany him there. And to his next assignment as a Security Police Officer at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. As an officer, Jim touched and influenced the lives of many young airmen. Having been enlisted himself for six plus years, he had walked a mile in their shoes.

After Ramey, Jim went to NKP, Thailand where he interacted with the Royal Thai Air Force. After Thailand, it was back to MSU for his master’s degree in Criminal Justice.

Jim was then stationed at Scott AFB, IL. He and his family lived in Mascoutah, IL for three years. Actually, his family lived in Mascoutah – Jim traveled with the IG team to all parts of the globe for about 300 days a year. Mascoutah was an excellent location for our family – small town, great folks and close to the base if needed. While on the IG team, Jim found a great place for all of us when he retired -- Albuquerque, NM. He was stationed there in 1978 at Kirtland AFB, NM at Manzano Mountain, a weapon storage area. I believe he would tell you that was one of his best assignments – again working with young airmen and young lieutenants. In 1981 Jim was sent to Minot AFB, ND. It was a two-year assignment, but not a good time to move the family as Curt was a senior in high school and had applied to the AF Academy and the US Military Academy. And in two years Tammy would be a senior in the same position. So Jo and the kids stayed in NM while Jim braved the very cold northern tier.

Jim came back to NM in 1983 to work in the Security Police Squadron. We also decided that this was to be our forever home so he retired from the Air Force in 1985 after 22 years and fifteen moves.

Almost as soon as Jim retired from the military, he went to work for Bernalillo County Department of Corrections. He worked for the County, State, and City in various jobs until approximately 2006 when he decided to retire to pursue volunteer interests. 

Jim was a board member of the 100 Club of New Mexico, an active participant and instructor for the HAM radio operators; an active member and instructor for the area CERT programs; a greeter at the Veteran’s Memorial; a volunteer at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and member of the Air Force Security Forces Association. 

Jim loved to be around his family by whom he is survived – children Curtis(Leslie) and Tammy(Leon); grandchildren Ashley(Aubrey), Melissa(Sam), Ryan(Ariel), Tara, Anna(Michael), Erin, Beth and Kristen; and great-grandchildren Gunnar, Lexie, Quinn, Tessa, Elliott and GraceLynn. We will miss you, Grandpa Jim.

Per Jim’s wishes, we will be having a celebration of Jim’s life at Daniels Family Funerals & Cremation - Wyoming Blvd. Chapel on Tuesday, September 10th at 9:30 AM, with inurnment and reception following. 

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Roadrunner Food Bank, the 100 Club of New Mexico, or your favorite charity.

Gotcha covered!!!