John Brydell Boyd, 96, passed away peacefully on August 4th 2022. He was born in Lexington, Texas on November 11, 1925 to Veronica (Vinnie) Simek Boyd and John William Boyd. John graduated from Caldwell High School in 1943. While in High School, he played football for the Caldwell Hornets under Coaches Ox Darby and George Falls. After graduation he received a recommendation by Senator Lyndon B. Johnson to attend the Merchant Marine Military Academy at Kings Point, New York. He graduated in the top 10 percent of the class and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve. His first Navy assignment was to active duty aboard the USS O'Brien DD725 Destroyer serving in the South Pacific Theater. LaNette and John were married on April 3, 1947 at the Naval Chapel in San Diego, California. Prior to his discharge in July 1947, he participated in the 1946 "Operations Crossroads" around the Marshall Islands witnessing atomic bombs being exploded both above and below the ocean surface. His Destroyer Squadron, as a part of the Task Force, was within a 10-15 miles of ground zero. It was a spectacular sight. The Squadron cruised the area for weeks measuring radioactivity. He became a member of the National Association of Atomic Veterans. Little was known about the organization until recently because everyone involved were sworn to secrecy.
Upon John's release from the Navy in 1947, he attended and graduated in 1950 from Texas Western College in El Paso, Texas with a BS degree in Geology. TWC gained University status and was renamed the University of Texas at El Paso, "UTEP".
John began working on his Masters Degree at the University of Texas. In 1951 the Navy Department called him back into service during the Korean Conflict. He served aboard the USS Willard Keith DD775 Destroyer in the Gunnery Department. He served aboard the Keith until late 1953 and was then transferred to the Treasure Island Naval Base, San Francisco, California as an instructor for the U.S. Naval Schools Command.
John was released from the Navy in 1954 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. While in San Francisco, California, John applied for a Geologist position with Standard Oil of California. He accepted a position with their office in Salt Lake City, Utah and stayed there for 9 years. John was transferred to Casper, Wyoming and reassigned to the Engineering/Production Department. While there we decided to purchase land in Burleson County Texas.
We lived in Casper, Wyoming for 5 years and John was then transferred to the Denver, Colorado office for 10 years and then in 1978 he was transferred to Midland, Texas as Senior Petroleum Geologist for 2 years and he was then transferred to the Chevron Office in Houston, Texas. He was assigned to the Standard Oil of California Group working the huge Saudi Oil fields and went to Saudi Arabia many times. During the next 5 years the company acquired Gulf Oil Company and Texaco Oil Company and began offering early retirements. John decided to accept the package and retired from Chevron Corporation in 1985 after 31 years of service.
John, being an outdoor person, enjoyed the geologic field work in the Rocky Mountains and adjacent areas from the Grand Canyon to the Canadian border and from the Dakotas and Nebraska westward through the Mohave Desert. He felt his career as a Petroleum Geologist was fulfilled when he was first assigned to the Engineering/Production Department until he retired. John then began cattle ranching with a Registered Black Angus Herd, fulfilling his lifelong dream.
He was a life member of the VFW Post 4458 where he served as Commander and also Chaplin and many of the District officer. He received the William B. Moody Award from the Department of Texas. He also served as Commander of the American Legion Post 451 in Caldwell, Texas.
He is preceded in death by his parents, a sister Elizabeth Fowler, brother-in-laws Eugene Weafer and Harold Miller, son-in-laws Larry Ficklin and Larry Baker, and great-grandson Sawyer Davidson.
John is survived by his wife LaNette of 76 years, sister Virginia Miller of Houston, Tx; 3 daughters Pamela Hiller and husband Leslie of Caldwell, Tx, Lynda Ficklin of Chappell Hill, Tx, Johnette Boyd-Baker of Chappell Hill, Tx; 5 grandchildren Keri Valdes and husband Santiago of Houston, Tx, Kimberly Davidson and husband John of Westlake, Tx, Nathan Ficklin of Littleton, Co, Lt.Colonel Daniel Ficklin and wife Lindsay of Salt Lake City, Ut, Michael Ficklin and wife Amanda of The Woodlands, Tx; 2 step grandsons Chase Baker and wife Hillary of Hempstead, Tx, Shaun Baker and wife Kristina of Cypress, Tx. He had 9 great-grandchildren, 2 step great-grandsons and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Express condolences at PhillipsandLuckey.com.