For the longest time, Don and I would just nod hello when we encountered each other in morning walks through our Monte Vista neighborhood. Then we began to stop for a moment, long enough to chat and for Don to pet my dog, Bexar. He really liked Bexar! eventually our walks became a regular Sunday morning thing. We talked Cowboys, Spurs, SEC football, quantum mechanics, politics - of which we were pretty much the same mind. He was the most important thing a man could be - a good man. I'll miss him.

We were/are always an 'uncorny' family, but I miss Don and loved him as an uncle. I have such fond memories of being over at Margaret and Don's house growing up. It was always fun, and I remember Don seemed to be always studying. I saw him not only as 'my uncle' and as Margaret's husband and Justin and Nathan's dad, but as a geologist. Among all of the interests he studied, geology seemed to be his greatest passion. This was apparent from the first time I ever knew him at about six years old, as well as it being clear how much Don loved dogs, and tennis. My memories are also of how Don was interesting to talk to (from when I was a child on up to today), not just about geology, but about many issues, being funny telling animated stories, and always getting the sense he had a good heart. I remember going to Enchanted Rock with Margaret and Don, yet another fond memory (too many to mention), and Don's Pinto, as Shannon mentioned. And I share the same image, which I find peaceful, as my sister when she writes about Don and our dad seeing each other, talking and passing a "cigarette" back and forth in the Great Beyond. I am sorry for your loss Margaret, Justin and Nathan. Don will be, and is, deeply missed.

I am so glad that we had Don in our lives for most of our lives.  I now realize how dependable and calming he made things. And I think that he showed us all how to face a fatal illness with a “whatever it takes“ attitude, and with a wife who cheered him on and cooked calorie-laden meals every day so that he would not get too thin. I have thought about what to write here all day and I think it just boils down to: “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.“ I just miss him.

With his daughter in law (Esther). Pretty sure he liked her more than me... and I'm ok with that... ;)

Route 66 in El Reno (home of the Onion Burger...lol)

Meeting my Dad at the OKC airport during his last visit.

Don and Ron (holding baby Nathan) and me (probably playing with a He Man or Transformer)

Me (Justin) and my brother (Nathan) which my dad

Don was my father, and I credit him for the man I am today.
One of my earliest memories is him reading to me at night. Instead of typical bedtime stories, he read straight from the dictionary, starting at "A." A geologist through and through, he taught me every country on the globe he bought for me and the Mohs Scale of mineral hardness—a lesson I still remember today.
Our summers were spent visiting national parks from Arches to Zion in a sweltering car. Despite the heat and pitching tents in random spots along the road, I look back on those trips fondly. I’m sure my teenage years tested his patience when I played loud guitar in heavy metal bands at the house, but things tamed down in college when I dove into engineering. Later, my career took me from Texas to Georgia, and ultimately to Oklahoma. Through it all, we stayed close, always catching up about work.
My dad always put others first, which usually meant he drove the oldest car so my mother had the better one. The last thing I was able to do for him was fix up one of my cars and gift it to him. I am so grateful we spent quality time together in Oklahoma just a couple of months before his passing, when he flew up to pick it up. Esther and I took him to our favorite spots in OKC. While I’m not sure about his ultimate favorite chicken fried steak, we definitely found his favorite burger and fries at Sid’s Onion Burgers in El Reno—he brought that meal up every time we spoke after.
Above all, I will cherish our late-night conversations during that visit. I learned more about my father during that short time than I had in all our years together.
My goal in life will always be to continue making you proud, Dad. I will miss you more than you know.
-Justin Ficklen, Yukon, Oklahoma

Dad was always so kind to Remi and Randi and they were also very sweet to him. He never had daughters so they really did bring out a softer side of him. I will always appreciate how nice he was to them and really made them feel loved.

I will always remember this day. You took us all out to Brasao the Brazilian Steakhouse: I remember you being so concerned that the girls weren’t going to eat enough meat to make it worth it lol. I tried to overeat to make sure I made up for them :)  this is my favorite picture of all of us .

Don became my friend in early 2000's when we were arguing about AFP 4 and Carswell AFB, pretty heatedly, then we started laughing!  From then on, we always valued each other's opinion, shared info, and wanted each to do well.  Lots of trips together, here in Monterey for the Recalcitrant Compounds conference, and a cold meeting in Chicago when it was too cold and dark in December to go out and we complained about beer prices at the hotel.   I kept in touch with Don when he was in Iraq and he sent me a few Saddam Hussein currency and other items.   I was glad he let me visit him back in Feb 2025 during a trip to San Ant....I sat across the room incase my cough would bother him later and his treatments.   He was definitely a fighter when it came to his battle and he knew he could hopefully help others by volunteering for experimental treatments.    I will miss him but always keep him in my thoughts in the years to come.   He was great at doing the contracting side....my only regret was narking him out to Mr Trevino once....but he forgave me.   Thank you Don!!   He travelled the world and I enjoyed hearing of the places he went.   Rest easy my friend.....

When Don started dating my aunt Margaret,  he had lots of long hair, a killer rock collection (stones, not music), and drove a Ford Pinto. They took my brother and me to Enchanted Rock, and we loved jumping on Don's waterbed. One morning I looked out my window to find Margaret and Don sleeping in our backyard! They'd gotten back from camping in the middle of the night and didn't want to wake anyone. 

Don had an acerbic sense of humor, which is why I think he and my Dad were good friends. I like to picture them together in the Great Beyond, passing a "cigarette" back and forth.

i am so sad to hear of Don passing. He was a great geologist and for the time i worked at his sites he was supportive, and appreciative of the work my team did. pancreatic cancer has taken so many i know, we all need to hope and pray we beat this disease.

Rick Wice, PG
Pittsburgh, Pa

Holmes was our neighbor on Thelma Drive back in our childhood days.  We had a carpool to Cambridge School, played lots of kickball and tag football in the front yard.  I lost track of him when he went to NMMI. It is clear from this beautifully written obituary that he led a full and happy life.  My condolences to his beloved family.

OBITUARY

Holmes Don Ficklen

January 29, 1953 – July 20, 2026

Porter Loring Mortuary - McCullough

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