Billie Boyd of Brevard County, Florida, who lived there for more than 30 years, passed away on Saturday, June 29, 2024. He is survived by four daughters – Susan Hamilton of Texas (husband Bruce, and two step-children – Mark and Rachel), Sharon Pereira also of Texas (and husband Vernon), Sandra Boyd-Spoden of Cocoa Beach (and daughter Sara), and Staci (Toast) Boyd of California; and one sister – Coredea Humphreys of Lakeland. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 18 years – Sara DeVane, two brothers –John and James (Jimmy) Boyd, and three sisters – Betty Sue Johnson, Dora Ann Moore, and Treva Key.
Billie was born in Picher, Oklahoma, to Frank and Audry Boyd on March 20, 1932 - one of seven children. His family moved to Florida in 1941 and to the Lakeland area in 1943. He graduated from Lakeland High School in 1950 and Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, in June 1954. He entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the United States Air Force, in August 1954, and was commissioned in November 1955 following the completion of navigation training. A one-year Air Force Institute of Technology tour at Pennsylvania State University from June 1959 to June 1960 launched 50-plus years of service in the weather field. Twenty years of Air Force active duty included graduate study at the University of California, Los Angeles, as well as off-duty coursework at the University of California, Davis. The twenty years also included two “combat” tours: The Congo and South East Asia where he completed 101 combat missions. In addition to numerous service medals and campaign ribbons, military awards included: the Distinguish Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (with 4 clusters) and Air Force Commendation (with 3 clusters)
Following retirement from active duty in 1974, as a Lieutenant Colonel, he worked with the California Air Resources Board prior to accepting an assignment with the World Meteorological Organization/United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to establish a modern computer center for the Indonesian Meteorological Service in Jakarta, Indonesia. After six years in that capacity, he returned to the United States, as Chief Meteorologist for Phelps Dodge at their Douglas, Arizona, copper smelter. In September 1981, he returned to the Air Force Global Weather Central at Offutt AFB, NB as a civil servant, and served as chief software engineer.
In 1984 he moved to Indian Harbour Beach and served (until his retirement in January 2011), as Assistant Chief of the Systems Division for Air Force weather support to America’s space program at the U.S. Air Force Cape Canaveral Air Station and NASA Kennedy Space Center. His many Civilian Awards during that period include: 2002 - Air Force Space Command Award for Best New Technical Application, 2001 – Awarded Fellow Status by of the American Meteorological Society, 1999 - Air Force Space Command Best Staff Meteorologist Award, 1998 - Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award, 1997 - Air Force Space Command Best Staff Meteorologist Award, 1996 - Air Force Space Command Best Staff Meteorologist Award, 1995 - United States Air Force Outstanding Staff Meteorologist Award, 1994 - Air Force Space Command Award for Best Climatological Application, 1993 - Air Force Space Command Award for Best Climatological Application, 1992 - Air Force Space Command Award for Best Climatological Application, 1991 - United States Air Force Outstanding Weather Civilian of the Year Award.
Billie traveled worldwide. Not only did he cover 48 of the 50 states; but he also visited six of the seven continents and over 50 countries. Between 1985 and 2000, he completed over 30 cruises, mostly as either a lecturer or bridge director. He authored over sixty professional papers and presented most at technical conferences such as the American Meteorological Society, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the American Geophysical Union. He was an avid bridge player and held the rank of Gold Life master, in The American Bridge League, with over 2300 masterpoints.
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