- Date Of Birth: May 5, 1918
- Date Of Death: February 9, 2014
- State: Florida
James Hodo Boykin (Colonel, United States Army, Retired) passed into eternal life on February 9, 2014 in Newnan, Georgia. He was born in Jackson, Alabama on May 5, 1918 to Palmer Walker Boykin and Mary Sue Hodo Boykin and spent a happy childhood in Selma and then Maplesville, Alabama. After graduating from high school as class valedictorian in 1935, he attended Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University), earning a BS in Electrical Engineering and becoming a life-long Auburn supporter.
Jim returned to the United States in June 1945 and married his beloved Etta Woodruff Breeden (now deceased), with whom he spent 61 happy years filled with love and adventure. For the next two years, he worked for Georgia Power Company and General Electric, before returning to a career with the Regular Army which lasted until 1968. His career in the Army took Jim, Etta, and their growing family to assignments in Virginia, Texas, Kansas, Georgia, California, Washington DC, Okinawa, and Germany. In addition, he served in the Korean War.
When he retired from the Army in 1968, Jim began a satisfying and challenging second career with Georgia Power Company. He participated in and supervised the building of several power plants, including Plant Bowen and Plant Yates. He also was responsible for mechanical design on existing plants. He made many dear friends during this second career and spoke fondly of being part of the Georgia Power family. When he retired in May 1983 as Vice President & Chief Engineer, Jim and Etta moved to Destin, Florida to enjoy a happy, well-earned retirement together for the next 20 years.
Jim is survived by his four children and their spouses, Beth Boykin Haury (Cliff), James Hodo Boykin Jr. (Dana), John Wilmore Boykin (Karen Cooper), and Palmer Walker Boykin II (Kelley), as well as 14 grandchildren (Jim, Barbara, Cassie, Megan, Jessie, Ryan, Shelby, Ansley, Spencer, Phillip, Maggie, Danny, Andy, and Megan) and 10 great grandchildren (Jack, Alexis, Asher, Clementine, Lola, Nadia, Parker, Carson, Logan, and Molly). He was a devoted and generous father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, who reaped immense joy from being with and helping those he loved. His stories and laughter could captivate a room, and we are grateful for the amazing family history he was able to recount in vivid detail. He was unshakably strong, determined and filled with compassion. Above all he loved and served the living God who welcomes him now. We will miss him more than words can say.
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