Butch Boyd

Howard Harvey "Butch" Boyd Jr., 73, of Cape Girardeau died Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, at his home.

He was born Sept. 16, 1940, in Cape Girardeau, to Howard Harvey and Zelma Myra Gilkison Boyd Sr. He and Patricia Ann Rudert were married Jan. 1, 1961, in Cape Girardeau.

Butch was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel. He graduated from Central High School in 1958.

He served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War era. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve on his 17th birthday and upon high school graduation served six years active duty aboard three Navy destroyers in the Operations Department assigned to navigation duties, and an additional 26 years as a Naval Reservist, after being promoted to the rank of chief petty officer. He was commissioned as a chief warrant officer in 1980.

Butch graduated from Northeast Missouri State University in 1972 with a degree in law enforcement and corrections. He joined the Cape Girardeau Police Department in January 1970 and served as a training officer, administrative assistant to the chief of police, swat team commander, internal affairs officer, director of field operations and chief of police from 1988 until retirement in 1996. He graduated from the FBI National Academy, 102nd session, in September 1976. He was director of security at Southeast Hospital from 1996 until December 2006. Butch was a member of VFW Post 3838, American Legion Post 63, and the FBI National Academy Associates. Some of his significant assignments include: commanding officer Mobile Mine Assembly Group 2218 at Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines; instructor Nuclear Weapons Training Group at Pacific Naval Air Station in North Island, San Diego; boarding officer, Military Sea Lift Command at Port Canaveral, Fla.; and assigned as a technical observer, Seal Team Six, Naval Amphibious Base in Little Creek, Va.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia Ann Boyd of Cape Girardeau; two sons, Paul Howard (Dee Dee) Boyd of Sikeston, Mo., and Michael Timothy (Elizabeth) Boyd of Fenton, Mo.; four grandchildren, Jared Michael Boyd and Emily Elizabeth Boyd of Sikeston, Benjamin Michael Boyd and Zachary Michael Boyd of Fenton; a brother, Stephen T. (Martha) Boyd of Scottsdale, Ariz.; and a sister, Judith Ann Zettl of St. Louis.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a grandchild, Paul Jacob Boyd.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Barry Pfanstiel officiating. Burial will be in Lorimier Cemetery with military rites conducted by the Missouri Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Southeast Hospice.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.