James Halydier

Graveside services for James Rex Halydier, 87, who died Thursday, will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Gnadenau Cemetery.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Yazel-Megli Funeral Home, Hillsboro.

Born July 9, 1938, in Brady, Texas, to Rex and Lillie Bell (Layne) Halydier, he graduated from high school in Ozona, Texas, and served four years in the Navy.

He married Bessie “Bess” Whisenant on Oct. 18, 1962, in Dublin, Texas.

The couple lived in Louisiana, New Mexico, California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

He worked as a surveyor, a Border Patrol agent, an immigration officer, an investigator for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and after early retirement as a federal law enforcement training instructor in New Mexico.

The couple moved to Hillsboro in 2019 to live with their son and raise miniature Scottish Highland cattle.

He was a church leader and Sunday school teacher.

Survivors include his wife, son Tracy Halydier, daughter Christy Skalnik, seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Brother Bobbie Halydier preceded him in death.

A memorial has been established with Parkside Homes, where couple resided in later years.