William Richard Loyd, Jr.

William Richard Loyd, Jr., age 77, peacefully went to be with his Lord and Savior on Fri. March 24, 2017. Richard, the oldest of five, was born a new year's baby at Highland hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana on January 1st, 1940 to the late William Richard Loyd, Sr. (Bill) and Audria Inez (Allen) Loyd. He lived his life for the Lord and was a member of Hot Springs Baptist Church. He loved socializing with his church family. Richard is predeceased by his loving wife Lois J. Loyd, parents, Bill and Inez Loyd, brother Dewey Loyd, brothers-in-law Carrol Guillory, Sonny Ingram, mother-in-law Eva Ingram, sister-in-law Faye Ponte, son-in-law Willis Teagarden, nephews Jimmy Banks and Jerry Schultz and great niece Crystal Baker. He graduated from Fairpark High School in Shreveport, La. and attended Ouachita Baptist University where he met his beautiful bride of 55 years, Lois Jean Loyd. They both graduated from OBU as music majors and married in 1960. Richard decided to pursue a second career of becoming an Arkansas State Trooper at age 33 in 1972 moving the family to Hot Springs. He was ASP Corporal W. Richard Loyd and assigned with Highway Patrol Troop K, Garland County, badge #54 then later K-9. Richard was also a member of the Troop K SWAT team. He was the kind of policeman that would invite people he stopped to church, pick up a hitchhiker and take him to church, and was still the music director even if he was on duty in full uniform. Richard had a rich Louisiana heritage and loved Gumbo, shrimp or oyster "po boys" and crawfish. Also he loved popcorn, ice cream and bread pudding. He had a love of working on cars that he learned from working alongside his father who was a master mechanic. He loved Louis L'Amour books, old westerns, old movies, The Voice, American idol and American Pickers. He was an avid reader and student of the Bible, loved crossword puzzles, vocabulary, scrabble and chess. He was an excellent marksman and loved going to the shooting range and collecting guns. He enjoyed big band music, attending the OBU Christmas program every year without fail and Monday night Band performances in Whittington Park. He loved the family dogs especially Cliff (and secretly mommas cats.) He and his wife devoted many tireless hours to visiting the sick. They directed a group at Hot Springs Baptist called, The Singing Seniors, who volunteer to sing at various nursing facilities around town. These people and places were very near and dear to their hearts. Richard's Sunday School class was something he cherished beyond words. This time to him meant everything and he went to great pains to be sure to attend, until his legs would not possibly take him any further. Richard even directed music from his wheelchair at a church service at the Atrium, that was a special day for him. No one loved deeper or worried more about his family and friends than Richard. He was the strongest fighter and the biggest teddy bear at heart. He suffered through many health issues and defied death many times over. He was truly a "Miracle Man". He loved his family and friends, and raised his grandchildren as if they were his own. He taught us all, so much, in so many ways and will be greatly missed. Richard is survived by his children, Lori Eliason and husband Geoff, Ginger Teegarden, Buddy (William Richard Loyd III), grandsons, Nicholas Loyd and Jagur Eliason, all of Hot Springs. sister-in-law Donna Loyd and family, sister, Diane Guillory and family, brother, Stan Loyd and wife Nelda and family, sister, Paula Navin and husband John and family, aunt Jane Wactor and husband H.B., sister-in-law Pat Ingram, nieces Gale Banks and Lyn Bloor and husband Randy, great-niece Joy Bailey and husband David and family, great-nephews Jason banks and family and Sean Goodin, several dear cousins, many other beloved and precious nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Duvall Moore, Dwight Cox, Steve Jackson, Chuck Atkinson, Royce Talent, Keith Nichols and Seth Atchley. Honorary pallbearers Jerry Chancellor and Ron Welch and Richard's Sunday School Class from Hot Springs Baptist Church. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 29th at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home. Services are at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 30th at Caruth-Hale chapel officiated by Bro. Horace Gray, Bro. Bob Myrick and Bro. Mike Smith. Burial following service at Crestview Memorial Cemetery in Hot Springs, Ark. with full Arkansas State Police Honor Guard Services. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Ouachita Baptist University Friends of Fine Arts Scholarship Fund #286-8321, send to development office "in memory of William Richard Loyd", OBU, Box# 3754, Arkadelphia, Ark. 71998. Full obituary at www.caruth-hale.com.