Eulogy for Father :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Father As you all know, there were certain things Loyd liked -- dogs, and poker games, football, and airplanes -- and there were certain things he didn’t like -- carrots, political speeches, telephone solicitations (especially those made by insurance men), and long-winded eulogies. I won’t do that because for every story that I could tell today about Loyd, his friends here today could tell fifty more. I am very secure in the knowledge that Loyd lived every day of his life to the fullest and I feel that Mother and Delia Ruth are secure in that knowledge as well. And we are very grateful to you all to be here today with us to honor his life. As Brother Sam said, Papa was born in Norfolk County, Virginia, the son of Ovie and Ruth Owen. One of his earliest memories was of crossing the Mississippi River on his way back home to Texas where he lived, except for his time in the Army Air Corps, until his death this past Saturday. He graduated from Junction High School in 1938 and he very much enjoyed his memories of playing football for the Eagles, a game that he continued to love throughout his life, second only to poker, and most recently, the lottery. He enlisted in the Air Force on July 30, 1940 and was given the opportunity to become an enlisted pilot with the rank of Staff Sergeant Pilot . His membership in the Army Air Corps Enlisted Pilots Association gave him great pleasure and just last month in Austin he and his buddies refought the war at their bi-annual reunion. You’ll be very pleased to know we won again. He was a graduate of the class of 42-H from Kelly Field and flew fifty-one bombing missions in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He married Dortha W. of Menard the same day he received his wings, September 6, 1942. He liked to say he got his wings that morning and had them clipped that afternoon. For more than 50 years he has owned and operated Buster’s Laundry and Cleaners, first with his parents and then as sole proprietor. He was very proud of his business and once we were together at a social gathering in Kerrville and he had been sitting there with that look on his face you all know so well listening to self-important oil men and bankers talk about their work.