James Weatherly Burkhead

James Weatherly Burkhead was first and foremost a storyteller. His talent was such that he could hold you spellbound with a story even when you had a cup of coffee in one hand, a hot plate of food in the other and hadn’t yet been to the outhouse. He was a punster of great length and creativity, which could make the outhouse issue even more critical.

Jim came by his talents naturally, being raised by his great grandmother, who was a child in the civil war, and his aunt, the first woman doctor in Texas and her twin sister who was a teacher and talented musician. Jim’s mother, Winfrey Cooke Burkhead, died in childbirth with his brother Ralph, on Jim’s second birthday. Jim did not meet his father, Buford Burkhead, again, until 30 years later. He then met his 3 younger brothers, and his beloved sister, Janie Burkhead.

Jim financed his college career by jumping out of perfectly good airplanes in Special Forces, rising eventually to the rank of Major. He was a dedicated Badger at the University of Wisconsin, and then went on to earn Masters degrees at the Writers Workshop in Iowa in English, Philosophy and creative writing. He then went to the University of New Mexico to earn his Ph.D.

Jim was the father of six children, some who share his DNA, others who share his heart. He was Opa Jim to eleven grandchildren, all of whom demonstrate their relationship by their own outrageous puns.

Jim lived his life by the rules of John Wesley, the love of baseball, teaching at both the university and community college level and, most successfully, in the prisons of New Mexico.

Jim wanted me to thank little Wendy for teaching him how to get lost successfully and BB, who sugared his tea both literally and spiritually.

We wish to thank Dr. Mark Graham, who gave us 6 months to say goodbyes and gave Major Burkhead his final assignment.

If anyone wishes to honor the memory of this remarkable human being, he would like you to buy a book and read it to a child, to buy school supplies for kids who can’t afford them, and to not shoot our wounded soldiers, especially those who jumped out of perfectly good airplanes.