Vivian Boyd
1906-1995
submitted by: Vivian Goodman
As a young man, he injured his leg near the ankle playing basketball
(he played Basketball at the high school) and osteomeyolitis set
in. He had to go to the Mayo Clinic in MN for surgery and
treatment. His mother went with him but had to leave him there
after surgery to take care of the rest of the family at home. He
stayed in MN for several weeks. For years he had recurring swelling and
drainage problems with the leg.
He
had familial tremors (his hands shook at all times). This was
very hard on him as he worked with his hands as a hobby, building
different things. He would have to build frames for what he was
working on so that it would not move while he was building or repairing.
He
was employed at a local bank in Sweetwater for awhile after
marriage. Then went to work for the Gulf Oil Corporation
there. He and his wife and daughters lived on a farm east of
Sweetwater (part of the home place which he had purchased from his
mother) where he farmed and raised cattle along with working for
Gulf. In 1954 Gulf closed operations in Sweetwater and he along
with many of the employees who chose to go, were transferred to Port
Arthur, TX to the refinery there. He retired from Gulf in 1972
after 37 years.
He
enjoyed astronomy & archeology among other things. He used to
sit on the porch with us when we were young and discuss and show us the
constellations. He plotted the time for the satellites to come
over to the second and was never wrong. And this was before
calculators!
For
Shirley's senior prom, he helped mother make her prom dress. He
made the circular pattern for the skirt and mother cut and sewed
it. He worked with his hands creating beautiful lamps and other
furniture during his lifetime. He built equipment used to help
his shaky hands from making mistakes during his woodworking so that his
measurements would be correct.
He
was very dear and loving with both of his girls. As far as we
were concerned he could do no wrong-vag.
______________________________
Obituary - 1995
Vivian Boyd, 88, of Sweetwater died
Thursday in Holiday Retirement Center.
Grave side Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at Sweetwater
Cemetery with Bob Dupont officiating. Arrangements are
by Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home.
Mr. Boyd was born
Sept. 15, 1906 in Nolan County and married Ruby McElroy on June 12,
1929 in Sweetwater. A retiree from Gulf Oil, he began his
employment with the firm in Nolan County in 1935. He was
transferred to Port Arthur in 1954, and retired there
in 1972. After his retirement, Mr. and Mrs Boyd lived in
Livingston before moving back to Sweetwater in 1983.
He was a member of the
Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife
Ruby Boyd of Sweetwater; a daughter, Vivian Goodman of Conroe; two
sisters, Iona Adams of California and Melva Wiedeman of
Sweetwater; a brother, Bobby Frank Boyd of Dallas; three grandchildren;
four great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by
a daughter, Shirley Wildin; a sister, Jessie Lee Campbell; a brother
J.P. Boyd; and a granddaughter.
Honorary pallbearers will be
Bryan Newsome, Chris Broussard, Bill Briggs, Richard Neill, Richard
McElroy and Mike McElroy. (Richard and Mike were unable to attend so
Benny McElroy, Steve McElroy and Rodney Boyd filled in. My
notes-vg)
Memorials may be made to
Sweetwater Cemetery Trust fund, P.O. Box 450, Sweetwater 79556.