Loyd O. Freeman

.God called Loyd O. Freeman home on May 27, 2014, after a long battle with Alzheimers. At the time of his death, he was a resident at Legacy Ranch Alzheimer’s Care in Midland, Texas. Loyd was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma to Herbert Oliver and Alice Freeman on June 2, 1926. He graduated from Amber High School. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from East Central State in Ada, Oklahoma, and a Master of Arts Degree from Eastern New Mexico University with a major in Counseling and Guidance.

Loyd served in the U.S. Army from December 1945 to November 1946.

Loyd married Jean Rayburn on February 1, 1947. They had four children, Jan, Carl, and twins, Mark and Beth. In December of 1957, Jean, Jan, Mark and Beth were all killed in a car accident. Carl, age seven, and Loyd survived. Loyd was farming in Eastern Oklahoma at that time. Loyd later contacted Joyce Kendrick, whom he had known briefly at church in Chickasha, and they were married in Chickasha, Oklahoma, on March 29, 1959. They had one son, Craig, born in November of 1960.Loyd sold the farm and went back to school at East Central State in Ada, Oklahoma.

After graduating, Loyd taught one year at Byng Consolidated school located just north of Ada, Oklahoma and then moved to Hobbs, New Mexico where he was a classroom teacher and later a school counselor.

In the summer of 1971 he, Joyce and their two boys moved to Odessa, Texas where he worked in the Odessa schools as a school counselor. Loyd and Joyce moved to Midland, Texas, in April of 2005.

He left the school system in 1978 and spent many years doing construction work which involved rebuilding houses, and mobile homes and developing nice mobile home lots. He was a man with many skills and taught his sons how to work and use these skills.

Loyd organized groups of volunteer church builders and for many years he spent his summers directing either the renovation of, or new construction of small Baptist Churches in Utah, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Texas. He served as Chairman of the Committee on nominations of the Southern Baptist Convention. It was the committee’s job to select all the trustees for the Southern Baptist Convention.

Loyd loved to build and fly remote control (RC) airplanes. He was also an accomplished pianist and people loved to hear his special touch when playing hymns and old popular songs.

He loved his family and was known as Papa Loyd or Paw Paw to all. He is survived by his wife, Joyce; sons, Craig Freeman and wife Linda, Carl Freeman and wife Patti; sister, Lynette Johnson; grandsons Matthew Freeman, Cliff Freeman, and Blake Freeman and granddaughter Megan Freeman and step-granddaughters Sara Beth Bryant, Abby Bryant, and step-grandson Christopher Bryant; several great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

The Freeman family wishes to express their deep appreciation and gratitude to Compass Hospice and all the staff and care-givers at Legacy Ranch for their heartfelt devotion and care given to Loyd.

Loyd donated his body to Texas Tech Medical Center. If you feel led to do something in Loyd’s memory, the family suggest donating to the Music Ministry of the First Baptist, Odessa, Texas or Alzheimer’s Association, 4400 North Big Spring, Suite C32 Midland, Texas 79705

The family will receive friends at Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors Sunday, June 1, 2014 from 1-3pm.

Memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church Monday, June 2, 2014 at 10am with Rev. Curtis Brewer officiating.

Services are entrusted to Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors.