Walter Robert "Bob" Floyd

Walter Robert "Bob" Floyd took his final breath at 2:15 p.m. Thursday, January 5, 2006, in the arms of his daughter, Kathleen Floyd O'Rourke, and passed into the arms of Jesus. He died 2 days before his 95th birthday. Bob Floyd was born January 7, 1911 in Naples, Texas, the son of Grover Cleveland Floyd and Myrtie Mae Robison Floyd. Bob's grandfather, Robert Franklin Floyd served in Company 1 of the 3rd Texas Cavalry in the Confederate States Army. Bob graduated from Naples High School in 1929, but he stayed in school a year and ½ after his regular graduation date to play football. On October 10, 1931 Bob joined the U.S. Army and was stationed on Corregidor, The Philippine Islands with Battery C of the 60th Coast Artillery. He then was transferred to the Dental Department on Corregidor Island as a Dental Assistant, then he transferred to the Medical Department and became a pharmacist and was transferred to Tientsin, China. After his discharge from the army on November 16, 1934, he worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and in 1936 he was part of the group that helped build the Daingerfield State Park. In 1938 he attended Byrne Business College in Dallas, Texas. He completed a nine month course in three months and after graduation became a traveling recruiter for the school. In June of 1939 he re-enlisted in the Army and was assigned again to the Medical Department. He graduated from Officer Candidate School at Camp Barkley (Abilene), Texas in February, 1943. He served in the Medical Department with service overseas during WWII and the Korean War as a hospital administrator for MASH hospitals overseas and regular military hospitals when stateside. He retired from the Army on January 31, 1957 with many commendations, medals and the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On April 11, 1941 he married the former Helen Jackson of Arkansas. They had one child together, Kathleen Jeanette Floyd, born in Albuquerque, N.M. in February, 1961. In 1961 Bob accepted the job of Hospital Administrator of Hospital in the Pines in Lone Star, Texas. He retired from there in October 1980. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Lone Star, Texas and a member and past president of the Lone Star, Texas Chapter of the Kiwanis International Organization. His wife, Helen, died in June, 1970 of cancer and was buried in the Little Rock, Arkansas National Cemetery. When the the new Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery opened, she was moved there. In November, 2000, Bob moved to across the street from his daughter, Kathleen, son-in-law John, and grandchildren Kellie & Patrick in Burleson, Texas. He was in good health, living alone and doing yard work until August, 2004 when he had surgery for gallstones & pancreatitis. He suffered a stroke soon afterward. He went from the hospital to a nursing home, and eventually to a private home care facility in Joshua, Texas. He died January 5, 2006 of congestive heart failure after suffering a series of strokes. On Wednesday, January 11, 2006 he was buried with his wife, Helen, at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, John and Kathleen (Floyd) O'Rourke of Burleson, and their two children, Kellie Kathleen and John Patrick.