Lt. Col. Harold C. Maggard

Harold C. Maggard was born in Paintsville, Kentucky, on October 5, 1930, to JC and Sylvia Maggard. Although officially named Harold C, for almost all his life he was known to friends and family as Bob.

Bob was the youngest of his siblings: sister Maxine (Mackie), sister Faye and brother Marcus (Mark).

Bob was educated through junior high in the small town of Paintsville in Eastern Kentucky, but his parents

thought he could get a better education in a larger school system. Consequently, he attended all four

years of high school at Riverside Military Academy, with campuses in Gainesville, Georgia and Hollywood, Florida. He graduated, Summa Cum Laude, in 1948. One of his remembrances was serving in an honor guard at the local railroad station when President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s funeral cortege passed through en route to Washington, D.C. Bob attended Vanderbilt University for two years then transferred to the University of Kentucky. Instead of finishing his college degree Bob enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951.

He was the Distinguished Graduate of Officer Candidate School. Then later, the Distinguished Graduate of the Air Command and Staff College. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1974. He spent his entire military career in Intelligence, primarily serving in joint service headquarters. He had assignments at the NATO headquarters in Naples, Italy, the US Strike Command (now the US Central Command) in Tampa, FL, and the US European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. He was awarded two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Defense Department Meritorious Service Medal.

But his most cherished awards were his wife and children. He married Barbara Anne (Bobbye, nee: Stivers) in 1953. They met at his brother Mark’s wedding to Bobbye’s sister Shirley. God blessed Bob and Bobbye with three children: Michael, born in Bremerhaven, Germany, Leigh Anne (Shoultz), born in San Antonio, Texas, and Laura (Davis), born in Naples, Italy. Thankfully, Bobbye and their children were able to accompany Bob to all his assignments except for his one-year tour in remote Alaska.

Although Bob was raised in a churched home, he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus until his return from his deployment to Alaska. During his absence, Bobbye had surrendered her life to Jesus. Returning home, Bob immediately noted the difference. Upon hearing a clear presentation of the Gospel – that Jesus had died to forgive his sin and had been raised to life to give him a new life too – Bob trusted in Jesus as well. This decision to follow Jesus transformed the trajectory of his life, and his growing faith in Christ resulted in many others knowing and growing in Jesus too.

After Bob retired from the Air Force in 1974, he served as the church administrator at Christ Community Church in Tampa for nine years. Mostly as a hobby, he was also a part-time travel agent. One of his fondest memories was leading a group from Christ Community to Europe. In addition, Bob and Bobbye led presentations at churches across the eastern US with the Institute in Basic Life Principles, before his first heart attack prompted his retirement.

Bob and Bobbye loved cruising and did so often, many times with their children. They became world travelers, cruising to and around Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Central America, and the Caribbean. They enjoyed lots of travel and lots of calories!

They moved from their beloved Tampa to the Dallas, Texas area in 2011 to be closer to their daughters – first to Frisco in a private home, then to Parkview, a senior living apartment complex, then to Village on the Park Stonebridge Ranch, an assisted living facility in McKinney. Their marriage of 72 years grew stronger each year! And their family heritage grew larger as well. Bob is survived by his beloved Bobbye, three children and their spouses, seven grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Besides being preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Bob passed into glory on April 24th, the 21st anniversary of his grandson Tyler Davis’s homegoing.

Bob will be remembered by all who knew him as a gracious, generous, wise, and patient man, who loved Jesus and continued to pursue Him in faith to the very end of his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Precise Hospice 6009 Beltline Rd Suite 240 Dallas, TX 75254 or Lebanon Baptist Church 9404 Lebanon Rd Frisco, TX 75035