Joseph Edward Boyett Jr.

Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, Fl.

Born August 31st, 1935 -Passed March 6th, 2026

Born in Nashville, GA on August 31st, 1935, to Joseph Edward Boyett, Sr and Susie Mae Folsom Boyett. He is preceded in Death by his wife, Faye Joyce Stone Boyett in 2003; his youngest son, Douglas Henry in 2023; his second wife, Carol Ann Presley Boyett in 2015; his younger brother, John Hill Boyette in 2025; and his older sister, Bettye Sue Boyett Leverett in 2015.

Joe Boyett grew up on a farm outside of Ray City, GA. Think Southwest Georgia between Valdosta and the Okefenokee Swamp. No electricity, no plumbing, no running water. From the age of 7, he had a rifle placed in his hands and was sent out with his hunting dog with admonishment to come back at sunset. He quickly became an awesome shot. When he was 12, he was allowed to drive his grandfather, Dr. George Hill Folsom, Sr, on country rounds. This trained Joe to be swift and calm under extreme conditions. Think appendectomies on kitchen tables.

Joe excelled academically and was co-valedictorian with his girl cousin at Lanier County High School in 1953. He attended University of Georgia in Athens and earned his degree in Forestry in 1957. The same year he married Joyce Stone. They married on February 25th, 1957. They met at a VFW Dance on March 17th, 1956. Joe told Joyce that night, he would marry her. Joyce said, “I thought he was crazy, but he was cute.” They have six children; Denise and David Miller, Edward Boyett, Douglas and Rhonda Boyett and many grandchildren: Jacob and Andrew Miller, Elizabeth Boyett, and Thomas and Heather Boyett Brookshire with great grandchildren, Julia, Jackson, and Ginny Mae Brookshire), Ten years after Joyce passed, he saw Carol Ann Pressly Meredith playing with her granddaughter. He asked her out on the spot and soon they too were married and juggling households between Riverside, CA and Montgomery, AL. He inherited more children, Rick and Rebecca and another granddaughter Emily and her new husband Trevor Monte. Joe was also close to his niece Billie Sue Leverett Trussville and her husband, Jonathan Trussville with sons Brandon and John and their large families.

Joe took his forestry degree and worked for the Georgia State Forestry Commission. Soon though, he and Joyce decided to join the United States Air Force. Joe had always wanted to fly and even could fly crop dusting planes. However, Joe discovered at high altitudes (jets) a condition called Meniere’s Disease was crippling. So, he began working in military logistics: maintenance, supply, orientation, procurement and planning. As he would say, “I trained as a Forester. I can see the forest for the trees.” After officer training, Joe and Joyce, who had barely been outside of the state of Georgia, were sent to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa Island, Japan. They were young and in love and it was an adventure. Next stop in 1961 was George Air Force Base, Victorville, CA (Mojave Desert). At George AFB Joe worked with nuclear weapons and even got his train engineer license so he could help move stockpiles. In 1964 the USAF sent Joe to the University of Colorado in Boulder where he earned his master’s degree in finance. So, Joe was sent to Military Airlift Command Headquarters at Scott AFB in O’Fallon, IL. Boyett demonstrated an ability to solve logistical problems that led to significant improvements in mission performance. While in Illinois (1968), Joe was deployed to Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam in time for Tet II. For sixty years he couldn’t talk much about his job. We heard the funny stuff. There was an Australian unit assigned to the base and Joe would play chess with one of the officers. They would spend their spare time kidnapping mascots. The Americans had a Snoopy dog signed by Charles Schulz and the Aussies had a big Kangaroo. Joe volunteered at one of the orphanages. He also had his airplanes at 100% availability. When he arrived, there was a big problem with grounded planes. A part in the engine would break, there was no stockpile of that part, So Joe went through all the hoops to get his mechanics trained to make the part in Vietnam. Joe had to submit a report to Secretary of Defense McNamara who told Joe’s commanding officer it was the most concise and informative report he had ever received.