William "Mike" Michael Huffaker

September 21, 1948-May 26, 2025.

Mike Huffaker, a long-time Walmart executive, passed away on May 26, 2025, after a battle with dementia. He is survived by his brother Ray F. Huffaker III of Knoxville, Tennessee; his sons, Michael (Paige) of Huntington Beach, California, and Christopher (Charlotte) of Dallas, Texas; his ex-wife Jennifer Huffaker of Bella Vista; and his four grandchildren, William III, Lydia, Caroline, and Henry. He was predeceased by his father, Ray F. Huffaker, Jr., and his mother, Billie Huffaker, as well as his sister Victoria.

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 21, 1948, Mike was the eldest of three children. He attended the University of Tennessee before being drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served in Fairbanks, Alaska, from 1969 to 1971. Following his discharge, he began his retail career with W.T. Grant and later joined Lay & Company.

In 1985, Mike joined Walmart as a co-manager in Newnan, Georgia. He quickly advanced, managing stores throughout the metro Atlanta area. In 1993, Mike became a regional vice president and relocated the family to Bentonville, Arkansas. By 1997, he had risen to divisional senior vice president, responsible for overseeing more than 600 stores. Mike later served as chief operating officer of Walmart Canada from 2005-2007 and chief merchandising officer from 2007-2009, before returning to the U.S. in 2009 to serve as a senior vice president in Walmart International. He remained in this role until his retirement in 2012.

Throughout his remarkable career at Walmart, Mike received numerous awards for his exceptional leadership and performance. More importantly, he served as a mentor to countless colleagues and always took more pride in helping and advocating for others than he did in any personal accolades. After his retirement from Walmart, Mike maintained a deep and abiding loyalty to the company and its people and he always enjoyed hearing about the successes of former colleagues and friends, as well as the next generation of leaders.

During “retirement,” Mike joined the Rusty Wallace Automotive Group in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he was a limited partner and partial owner and worked closely with his brother Ray. When he wasn’t talking about Walmart or working with his brother, Mike enjoyed traveling, getting his golf game back in shape, watching his Tennessee Vols, and spending lots of time with his family, including his grandkids and granddogs, who always loved spending time with “Grandaddy.” He will be remembered for his love of God and family, his incredible work ethic, his keen mind, and his sense of humor. He was a long-time member of the Bella Vista Church of Christ.

The Huffaker family would like to thank Charlene Chase, his caregiver for the last three-and-a-half years, for all of her assistance in enabling Mike to maintain his independence; Lila Young, who helped over his last three months to ensure he had round-the-clock care; and the caregivers at Circle of Life Hospice for their kindness and compassion during his final days. The family also appreciates the outpouring support from friends and former colleagues during this time.

Mike’s memorial service will be held at Bella Vista Church of Christ on Thursday, May 29 at 10:30 a.m. Central Time, with a Celebration of Life reception at The Jackson House in downtown Bentonville immediately following the service. He will be interred at the family plot in Knoxville, Tennessee, in a private, family burial.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations be made to Circle of Life Hospice in Bentonville.