William F. "Bill" Floyd M.D.

Dr. William F. (Bill) Floyd went to be with his Lord on September 15, 2019 at home, surrounded by his loving family. Memorial services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Saturday, September 21, 2019 at First Baptist Church in Gatesville. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service.

Bill was born November 10, 1929 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Hiram Carl Floyd, Sr. and Gladys Ona Winfield, the third of four children. He always said it wasn't his fault he was born in Oklahoma and that he came to Texas as soon as he could. He graduated from Gatesville High School in 1947 and then went to Baylor for a year. He was in the Golden Wave Band and had loads of fun. But his studies suffered, so he joined the Army and served as a Medic at Camp Hood (now Fort Hood) for a year. This helped him realize that college was a better choice. So he went back to Baylor and graduated three years later with a double major in Biology and Chemistry, several minors and excellent grades, all while holding down three jobs.

Baylor graduation was in August of 1952 but he said his best day of that year was September 6 when he married Neta Jean Rogers, a partnership that lasted just over sixty-seven years. After graduation, he presented Neta with the option that he would either take an Air Force commission and start taking care of her, or go to medical school where she would support him for four years, then he would take care of her. So Neta said, “Let's go to medical school. He often said he had never yet paid back that debt to her. He served six years as a Flight Surgeon in the Air Force while having four beautiful daughters. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force as a Captain and moved his family back to his hometown of Gatesville.

Bill practiced medicine in Gatesville for fifty-four years. With a big heart to help whomever he could, he routinely took “payments” for his medical services in the form of puppies, eggs and broken lawn mowers, and sometimes nothing. He was a founder of the Gatesville Clinic and adored by thousands of patients. He also served Gatesville in countless volunteer capacities to make it a better place. He was a long-time member of First Baptist Church and served as a deacon. He did physicals for the athletes, pro bono, and worked with the Band Boosters. He was also in the Lion's Club and served on the boards of the Coryell County Museum and the Central Texas Hospitality House and as president of the Gatesville School Board. He loved to sing in the choir at First Baptist Church and with the Texas Country Gentlemen barbershop chorus.     

Bill had a quick wit; affectionately referring to all grandchildren as “lumps” and “twerpos”. All his daughters and granddaughters seemed to wind up with the middle name of Marie. He was a great cook known for his famous “make 'em eat 'em” hot sauce, pecan pie, homemade ice cream, and green beans of which the Gatesville Hornets consumed vast quantities.  Every spring yielded a bumper crop of bluebonnets in his yard where he enjoyed watching children from town come for photos.  Any long time Gatesville resident would remember his yard full of sculptured shrubbery featuring a giant Dumbo, bunnies and a roadrunner.  He had great stories about his life, especially about growing up in the depression. And he had a love of ice cold Dr. Pepper, which included serving on the board at the Dr. Pepper museum.   

Bill's faith in God and hospitality made his home the heart of his family. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were an integral part of his life; always feeling loved and accepted by him. He brought life to the holidays; and especially Christmas through creative yard decorations and an elaborate indoor snow village.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, HC Floyd, Jr. and Bert Allen Floyd, Sr. and by his daughter Bonny Billings and husband Wayne.

Bill is survived by his wife, Neta; sister, Marinel Floyd Schnizer Henderson and husband, Ray; daughters, Rebecca (Becky) Wilkins and husband, Wayne, Elizabeth (Betsy) Berry and husband, Clayton, and Beverly McNeal and husband, Scott; 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

To continue Bill's legacy of generous giving to the Gatesville community, the family asks that monetary donations in his memory be sent to the Dr. Bill and Neta Floyd Scholarship Fund c/o Gatesville ISD, 311 S. Lovers Lane Gatesville, TX 76528.