Randal Lynn Boeckman

Dr. Randal Lynn Boeckman

May 8, 1959 – May 26, 2025

The cows have been fed, the golf cart parked, and the reindeer food sprinkled on the roof one last time. Randal Lynn Boeckman of Friona, Texas, passed away on May 26, 2025, at the age of 66. He was many things, veterinarian, farmer, proud Aggie, amateur spicy pepper judge, semi-professional golf ball chaser, barn cat neutering supervisor, and most notably, the best Uncle Randy the world will ever know.

Born in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Randy graduated from Friona Schools and went on to earn his BS in Animal Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University. He began his veterinary career in Alpine, Texas, before founding Walcott Veterinary Clinic, where he served the community with skill, grit, and his trademark blend of dry humor and maroon scrub shirts.

Randy was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Lawrence Boeckman. He is survived by his mother, Thoma Lou (Fallwell) Boeckman of Friona; his brother and favorite hunting partner, Timothy Boeckman, and wife Mariann of Amarillo; and his sister, Kathy, the original target of his relentless teasing and affection, and her husband Greg of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also leaves behind his pride and joy: nephews Kyle, Kevin, and Kaleb Steen; and nieces Erica and Amanda Boeckman, and Katelyn Steen.

To his nieces and nephews, Randy was simply "Uncle Randy," the one who handed over golf cart keys as soon as we could reach the pedals, taught us to bottle-feed calves, and showed us that cows didn't just come for food, they came because they recognized and loved him. Watching the herd follow his pickup was a regular reminder of the bond he had with the animals he cared for. Except when the cows escaped. Then we remember chasing them while Randy hollered out the truck window like a cowboy on the edge, arguing with cows as if they might finally listen this time.

Uncle Randy was a patient teacher. After someone drove the four-wheeler too fast through the pecan orchard to actually apply any chemical to fight pests, he just asked, "Why is the tank still full?" When the high-speed jostling finally cracked the tank, he supervised an attempted repair before judiciously docking that nephew's pay. And when his niece overheated the tractor three times in one summer, his best advice was: "You gotta talk sweeter to it."

He also passed along his surgical skills, coercing at least one niece to assist with feline family planning for the many barn cats always running around. He made us believe in ourselves with the simple encouragement: "Tell them you're a farm kid. You can do it all." That summed up Randy, confident, generous, and always in your corner.

He was also full of bull. He once claimed he had so many rabies antibodies from vet school vaccines that he could "lick the brain of a rabid animal and not get sick." We never asked him to prove it, but we believed him.

He was a passionate card player, Sudoku and solitaire master, and Yellowstone devotee. He made us watch Ted Lasso and even gave out his Apple TV password like it was a sacred family heirloom.

He grew 80+ pound pumpkins just to make us smile and once let us use the hood of a tractor as the backstop for a target range, until he realized the hood had more pellet holes than the actual targets. He loved chasing a little white ball around casino golf courses or practicing chip shots in the backyard with his Australian Shepherd, Boscoe.

Uncle Randy made the holidays magic, literally sprinkling reindeer food on the roof and checking NORAD to make sure Santa didn't miss our house. When it came to human food, the spicier, the better. His culinary adventures included feeding us Rocky Mountain oysters and rabbit, usually without disclosing the ingredients until after the fact. "Try it first, ask later" was his preferred dining policy, especially when sneaking mashed potatoes mixed with sauerkraut to a 4-month-old nephew without asking his mother first.

Faith and service defined Randy's life. He served as treasurer at his church, lent a hand to neighbors without being asked, and created scholarship funds for his nieces and nephews, even letting us name the cows funding them after Barney characters.

Randy faced hardships, too, both personal and physical, but he never let them dull his wit or his will to help. And yes, we'll all miss that deep breath he took near every manure pile before saying, "Smells like money."

May heaven have plenty of land to farm, tractors that don't overheat, and a never-ending lineup of Aggie football replays.

Rest well, Uncle Randy. You did good.

Services

Visitation: Thursday, June 5, Noon – 7 PM at Parkside Chapel Funeral Directors, Hereford

Graveside Service: Friday, June 6, 11 AM at Friona Cemetery

In lieu of flowers or memorials, the family invites you to honor Randy in a way he would've truly appreciated: Go hunting with your brother, tee off with your golf buddy, take that trip to Vegas with your best friend, order the spiciest thing on the menu with your crew, or simply shoot the breeze with your neighbors over the fence. You never know when it might be the last time.

Online condolences may be made to Randy's family at www.parksidechapelfh.com.