Howard James (“Jim”) Tuggey was born on February 4, 1930 in Harlingen, Texas, where his father, Howard E. Tuggey, and grandfather had invested in a grapefruit farm. His mother, Vera H. Tuggey, was a musician and music teacher. She also played the piano in Harlingen where she and Jim’s father sang together on the radio at the dinner hour.
Jim’s family moved many times during his youth as his father’s insurance and other business dictated. Jim spent time as a youth in Texas, Michigan and Arizona. He has frequently reminisced about his good times as a kid in Birmingham, Michigan, where his father’s family owned its own business. Jim eventually welcomed two younger sisters, Sue and Judy, both of whom were born in Birmingham. Jim and his sisters were raised in the Christian faith and the Presbyterian Church.
Hoping Jim could receive a higher quality, more formal and military education, Jim’s parents eventually enrolled him in military high school, at Castle Heights Military School in Lebanon, Tennessee. Jim flourished there, enjoying his studies and excelling in athletics as a track star, as he discovered a talent for long distance running.
Upon graduation from high school, in 1948, Jim immediately enlisted in the US Army. As a buck private, Jim started off as a bandsman, playing the tuba and other heavy brass instruments for the 8th US Army Band in Fort Ord, California. At that time in the late 1940s, the post-WWII draft was winding down but still in place. Thus, Jim met many well-known professional musicians who cycled through the Army, but also worked and played in the west coast and LA music scene. This experience also reinforced his love of music, which was first instilled by his mother. It presaged a life-long love and devotion to all people and things musical.
Jim became convinced that he could build a career in the US Army. He began to explore advancement and eventually applied for and was accepted to Officers’ Candidate School (OCS). The Army was in the very early 50s rebuilding as the Cold War and Korean Conflict loomed. More young officers were required.
As Jim successfully completed OCS, and served a short stint stateside, the Korean Conflict broke out. Jim was then deployed to his first ever combat assignment, as a platoon leader of a combat truck supply unit supporting fighting men in Korea. Jim’s first unit successfully completed many harrowing missions in support of fighting forces. Delivering ammunition in blowing snow on cliffside mountain roads in a Korean warzone is no picnic. Jim often recalled some of the narrow misses he and his troops successfully navigated.
While serving in Korea, Jim received word of the sudden death of his father, who had passed of an apparent heart attack during a business trip. It took many days of travel, but Jim eventually made it back to Dallas, Texas, where his father had been in the insurance business and where the family then lived.
This was the early 1950s, and after concluding his Korean service, Jim returned on vacation to Dallas to see his family. He attended Highland Park Presbyterian Church where he witnessed the voice of a young soprano by the name of Janet E. Lindsay. Jim knew of her through his father, who prior to his own death, had mentioned Janet as a fellow choir member of great talent, intelligence, charm and beauty.
Jim instantly fell in love with Janet. He never looked back and immediately sought her affection and ultimately her hand in marriage. She eventually relented and the two were married in Westshore Presbyterian Church in Dallas on December 29, 1954. Jim never left Janet’s side—they remained married for 59 years—until Janet’s death in January 2014. Jim did not allow Janet to live at a nursing facility in her last days. Even in Janet’s later illnesses, he personally cared for her well into their 80s, until she passed at age 84—resting at her own home.
Jim and Janet’s marriage and partnership in 1954 began a great adventure of travel and witness all over the planet. From Dallas they were posted first to the Presidio, San Francisco in California, in service to the US Army, and thereafter to France, Oklahoma, Alabama, Germany, Virginia, Nebraska, Texas, Missouri and many side trips all over the world.
While married to Janet, Jim also completed a duty tour to Vietnam during that war. After the earlier duty tour in France, Jim had transitioned from road transportation services to aviation transportation within the US Army. He quickly rose through the ranks as a pilot and air logistics expert, ultimately obtaining the US Army’s Master Aviator badge for over 3,000 hours logged in each of rotary-helicopter and fixed wing aircraft. So it was that in Vietnam he found himself in charge of the conflict-wide US Army Concept Team, commissioned to complete the first-ever formal study of combat and support use of the helicopter by military forces. Subsequent assignments included command of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, where he oversaw flight training for all then-South Vietnamese helicopter pilots, and then, all helicopter maintenance at the US Army-wide helicopter maintenance facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. This groundbreaking work brought Jim to the forefront of future planning for use of the helicopter—in both the military and civilian contexts.
In summary then, after first enlisting as a buck private tuba player in the early 1950s, Jim ultimately retired as a full Colonel from the US Army in June 1977—with two Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars, two Meritorious Service Medals, four Air Medals and numerous other service awards and decorations. He was also emerging as an acknowledged thought leader on the latest aviation transportation mode—the helicopter.
Jim and Janet’s adventure continued after military retirement as Jim went to work as a Vice-President for Bell Helicopter, and they moved to Tehran, Iran. The Shah of Iran had just purchased more than 800 Bell helicopters and required support and training from American experts. Within two years of Jim’s move, however, the Shah was deposed by Shiite Muslim radicals. Jim then arranged to get his family out of Iran while he braved street violence and political uncertainty. He stayed behind to negotiate successfully a transition for Bell Helicopter with the new revolutionary government led by Ayatollah Khomeini.
Jim and Janet then took up residence in Singapore, where Jim organized Bell Helicopter’s entry and new business in Asia. This stint was followed by service with Petroleum Helicopters in both Singapore and China. While in Asia, Jim and Janet travelled from Singapore, east to Pakistan, south to Australia, Indonesia, and New Zealand, and north to China, Nepal and Japan. Jim and Janet eventually even made it back to post-war Vietnam. During this time in Asia, Jim’s stature within the business grew even more dramatically, as one of the finest helicopter aviation logistics experts in the world. His experience and insight in the industry was sought in every corner of the globe.
While their travels and career unfolded, Jim and Janet also raised three boys—Tim born in France in 1955, Matt in Oklahoma in 1958, and James (“Andy”) in Germany in 1963. They raised their children in the Presbyterian Church—weekly attendance was strictly required!
They also remained active in the music ministry, joining the local church choir in each location to which they moved. Jim served as choir director in many such churches, while Janet was a featured soloist. Eventually, this musical devotion brought Jim to an active role with the internationally acclaimed Vocal Majority Chorus in the DFW Metro area. Jim was very active with the Chorus throughout his 60s and into his 70s and 80s. Winners of 14 international championships, the Chorus recognized Jim as its “Barbershopper of the Year” in 2003. He was later recognized and installed in the Chorus’ Hall of Fame.
Jim and Janet retired to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the early 2000s. They continued to travel extensively but also stayed very involved in the lives of their grandchildren—numbering nine in total—and two great grandchildren. Among many activities, Jim and Janet insured that each of their grandchildren attended horseback riding training each summer.
After Janet’s death in 2014, Jim suffered a stroke which partially impaired his speech and movement on his right side. He passed away on April 16, 2019, while residing at Grand Brook Memory Center in Grapevine, Texas.
Jim’s life speaks even now to many achievements. But none are greater than his steadfast loyalty, service and love first for his God, and his wife and partner for life, Janet. And so too, he loved and served his three sons, Tim, Matt & Andy; his nine grandchildren, Chris, Lindsay, Katherine, Christina, Kelly, Leslie, Grace, Nora & Liam; his two great grandchildren, Iris and Luna; and his younger sisters, Sue Miller and Judy Jordan. Finally, he pledged and served a lifetime in fidelity to the nation and its people.
RIP Jim Tuggey
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