Submitted by
Ken Gates
Ormel Iverson (Jack) Boyd
October 6, 1923 - April 27, 2007
Ormel Iverson (Jack) Boyd, a resident of Lockhart since 1992, died April 27,
2007. He was born October 6, 1923 to Thomas Jackson and Beulah Echo Spence Boyd
near Chilton.
He retired after 33 years with the Farmers Administration (FmHA), USDA, and
was Chief of the Business and Rural Development Program. His FmHA career
included assistant County Supervisor at Richmond and County Supervisor at
Seguin. After moving to the state office in Temple he was awarded and recognized
for his work with community leaders organizing and building water supply systems
to serve rural communities in Texas. Prior to his FmHA career he taught
vocational agriculture, beginning at Trent HS, in Trent in 1947, and at
Chillicothe HS and Waco University HS.
A veteran of World War II, he attended John Tarleton Agricultural College and
volunteered for the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps and was activated in June 1943.
Starting in October of 1943 he attended Army Specialized Training Program
engineering courses at East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce. In March
1944 he was assigned to Company B, 393rd Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry
Division and received advance training at Camp Maxey in Paris.
He shipped to Europe in September 1944 and was on the front line serving as
first scout in a Company B rifle squad with the 99th Infantry in December at the
start of the Battle of the Bulge, December 16, 1944. Wounded and captured he was
a prisoner of war until April 29, 1945. His service awards include the Purple
Heart, Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman's Badge, rifle marksman, and two battle
stars for the European-African-Middle East Campaign ribbon.
A lifetime member of the VFW, American Legion, Military Order of the Purple
Heart, DAV and Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, he also served as Commander
of American Legion Post 41 in Lockhart and was active in the 99th Infantry
Division Association.
Following his military service he received a BS degree in Agricultural Education
and a Master of Education degree from Texas A&M.
His civic activities included serving as a trustee of First United Methodist
Church in Temple, and as elder and trustee at First Presbyterian Church in
Lockhart, was a Lions Club member since 1962 and served as president of the
Lockhart Lions. He was active in his support of Tarleton and Texas A&M as a
Century Club and Silver Century Club member of the school's alumni associations.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and in 1978 by his wife Marjorie Pearl
Beasley Boyd and by a brother, Melvin Boyd, in 2005.
He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Frances Schubert Bozarth Boyd of
Lockhart; his sons and daughter-in-laws, Don and Shirley of Georgetown and Alan
and Carol of West Columbia; a granddaughter, Amanda Sheffield and her husband
John of Houston; grandsons Michael of Georgetown and Tim, Ben, Zack and Nathan
of West Columbia; and a great-granddaughter and great-grandson, Chastidy and
Logan Sheffield of Houston. He is also survived by his sister Geneva and her
husband Charles of Austin, brother Nolan and his wife Willie of McGregor, sister
Ruth Nicholson and her husband John of Pinetops, NC, and brother Leland and his
wife Nadine of Amarillo. He will also be missed by his many nieces and nephews
and many other treasured family and friends.
Visitation was held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening, May 1. A celebration
memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 2, 2007at First
Presbyterian Church in Lockhart with the Rev. Joe Turner officiating, assisted
by the Rev. Mark Stoub and the Rev. Terry Bozarth.
Pall Bearers were his grandsons Michael Boyd, Tim Boyd, Ben Boyd, Zack Boyd,
Nathan Boyd, and his nephew Mike Boyd. Internment and graveside services
followed at 3:30 p.m. at Union Cemetery, near Durango in Falls County. Eeds
Funeral in Lockhart was charge of arrangements.
The family requests memorials to First Presbyterian Church in Lockhart, to the
American Heart Association or to a charity of the donor's choice.
