James "Jim" Otho Hilburn

James Otho “Jim” Hilburn, age 96, of Ozark, Arkansas, passed away after a short illness, Monday, March 13, 2023, in his home. He was born October 17, 1926 in Marceline, Missouri to Jay and Grace Hilburn. Jim finished Valedictorian from High School in Climax Springs, Missouri. His family had lived on a farm nearby. Jim served two years in the U.S. Army Air Corps near the end of World War II. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the Rolla School of Mines and then worked during the summers for Sheffield Steel Corporation in Kansas City. His geophysicist career of 18 years was with Pan American Petroleum Corporation in Louisiana and Texas when he interpreted seismographic recordings in search of oil and natural gas. While working in Louisiana he met his future father-in-law, Pa Paw and Pa Paw’s daughter. Jim’s greatest desire was to return to farming like he had experienced during childhood. He had always loved learning and managing of pasture and cattle by necessity, which required a steep learning curve. When he resigned from the oil business, he moved from Humble, Texas to a mountaintop farm near Ozark, Arkansas in 1968 and promptly joined the Presbyterian Church Choir. He was a good singer. Jim served on the Farm Bureau Board, the Farmers COOP Board, and on committees, and the choir at the Methodist Church. The family was once voted Farm Family of the Year of Franklin County. Jim’s most personal legacy was shared farm work experiences, his stories told, and good memories shaped by clean lips. He is preceded in death by his parents; one brother, John B. Hilburn MAJ USAF; his loving wife of 63 years, Doris A. Dauman Hilburn; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, L.L. and Frances L. Dauman. Jim is survived by one sister, Helen Lively of Kansas City, Missouri; two sons, James L. Hilburn of Springfield, Missouri and Mark A. Hilburn of Dover, Arkansas; six grandchildren, Stephanie, Aaron, Adrienne, Trevor, Brian, and Alane; and ten great grandchildren, Ashley, James Lewis, Nora, Vivian, Adeline, Gideon, Marie, Benjamin, Alana, and Wasan. Memorial visitation will be 1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M., Friday, March 24, 2023, at Shaffer Funeral Home, 2315 West Commercial Street in Ozark. A memorial service will be 2:00 P.M., Friday, March 24, 2023, at Shaffer Funeral Home in Ozark, with Brother Brad Elrod officiating. Cremation arrangements were made under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home. To leave an online memorial visit www.shafferfuneralhomeweb.com

James "Jim" Otho Hilburn

October 17, 1926 - March 13, 2023