Howard Elmer Boyd

At 11:25am on July 18, 2022, Howard Elmer Boyd’s last flight was to his heavenly home and flew into the arms of his Lord and Savior.  He was born Dec. 23, 1923 and was 98 years old.  He was born to Henry Royal Boyd and Birti Mae Ward Boyd in Mesquite Community near Mt. Calm, Texas.  His mother died when he was 3 years old and his father died when he was 16.  Howard was raised by his Grandmother and his two older sisters.

He entered grade school in Osage and graduated from Crawford High School.  Shortly after graduation, he was inducted into the military at the beginning of World War II in 1942.  His love of airplanes prompted him to choose the Army Air Corp.  All of his basic training on different airplanes was in Texas.

Howard was transferred to England and was in the 8 ^th Air Force and was a ball turret gunner on a B-17.  He flew 29 combat missions and one reconnaissance mission.  His missions took him over France, Germany, Belgium, and Czechoslovakia before returning to the U.S.A.  After the war ended he re-enlisted and was stationed at Carlswell Air Force Base in Ft. Worth where he worked and flew on B-29s all over the USA.  He met his soul mate and love of his live in Ft. Worth, Joyce Evelyn McMahan and they were married on Oct. 22, 1949 at Lometa Baptist Church.  Howard and Joyce enjoyed 73 wonderful years together.

Their Daughter, Janet Lynn, was born while stationed at Carswell.  He transferred to Altus OK Air Base where he was assigned to KC-97 refueling planes.  His intentions were to make the Air Force a career but because he was away from home, wife, and small daughter so much he retired in 1954 after 12 years with the rank of Master Sargent.

He began work with El Paso Natural Gas Company in Jal, NM for 15 years before transferring to the Snyder EPNG plant 5 miles North of Union in 1970.  He was an instrument technician and worked in NM and the western sections of TX.  He retired after 30 years with EPNG.

He was very patient, humble, and always a good and faithful servant to the Lord.  He was a Sunday School teacher and Deacon in Colonial Hill Baptist Church.    His daughter called him Daddy, his Son called him Dad,  and to his wife he was Honey, and Granddad to his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Two of his most memorable occasions was an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to visit the World War II Memorial and a flight over Snyder on a P-15.

Howard is proceeded in death by his parents and father and mother-in-law, his two sisters, Laurene Boyd Goodwin and Willie Mae Rubin.

The ones left to cherish his memories are his wife of 73 years, Joyce, daughter Janet Knipe and husband Donald, son Jerry Boyd and wife Glenda, 4 grandsons, Jared Boyd and wife Jennifer, Justin Boyd and wife Sarah, James Knipe and wife Emily, and David Knipe and wife Cara.  His 4 great grandchildren are Judge Boyd, Junah Boyd, Joslyn Steel, and Jordan Boyd.

Arrangements are handled by Bell Cypert Seale with services at Colonial Hill Baptist Church on Friday, July 22 at 2:00pm. Interment will follow at Hillside Memorial Gardens.