Bradford Columbus Boyd

Bradford Columbus Boyd Bradford Columbus Boyd died November 29, 2007 in Burnet, Texas, ending a 95-year journey of selfless service to his family, his country and his Lord. "Boyd," as he became known to his World War II Army buddies and to his loving wife Loma, was born in Tracy City, Tennessee, on October 9, 1912, to Dibrel and Mattie Boyd. He grew up in the Gruetli community of Grundy County, one of eight children in the family. Mr. Boyd moved to Nashville as a teenager and graduated from Hume-Fogg High School. He is survived by his wife, Loma Kinser Boyd, who resides at Country Oaks at Hamilton Creek in Burnet; daughter, Debbie and son-in-law, John Van Mol, Nashville, Tennessee; grandchildren, Derek (Mary Katherine) Van Mol, Kingston Springs, Tennessee, and Millicent V. Cash (Dr. Michael) of Nashville; great-grandchildren Mary Holine and Elizabeth Ryan Van Mol, and Emaline Ramsay Cash. Mr. Boyd is also survived by brother and sisters, Graham Boyd, Santa Monica, CA, Lucille Keller, Oceanside, CA, and Naomi (Mrs. Karel) Lainen, Mission Viejo, CA. He was predeceased by brother and sisters George Boyd, Elizabeth Boyd, Mary Jolly and Robena Morgan. Mr. Boyd, who settled in Austin, TX after his service in World War II and his marriage to Mrs. Boyd, was a retired employee of the State of Texas who worked as an accountant in the Comptroller's office. He also was retired from the U.S. Army Reserve. He was a patriot and proud member of "America's Greatest Generation," having enlisted in the Army in 1941 and served until its end of World War II and his discharge in September of 1945. Mr. Boyd served with the 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion from its inception at Camp Swift, Texas, and it was there in Texas that he met his future wife, Loma Kinser. Mr. Boyd and the 86th served through all the major campaigns in the European theater of operations, Normandy, the Rhineland Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) and Central Europe. Mr. Boyd and his comrades in arms fought in support of General Omar Bradley's First Army after the D-Day invasion in 1944, and by late summer the 86th was providing firepower to support General George S. Patton's Third Army in driving the German forces out of France and back toward Germany. Mr. Boyd was separated from active service with the rank of master sergeant in the headquarters company, although he later re-enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and retired with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. Mr. Boyd maintained a lifelong association with his wartime friends, and was faithful in his attendance at virtually all of the 86th reunions until his health prevented him from doing so in recent years. He was a member and elder in Wilshire Presbyterian Church in Austin until he and Mrs. Boyd moved to Burnet earlier this year. A memorial service will be held at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 306 East Polk, Burnet, TX at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 3, 2007, with visitation to follow at Country Oaks at Hamilton Creek, 407 West Jackson in Burnet. Interment will be in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Salvation Army or St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Memphis, TN.