| Biard, John W., Jr. 151879 |
| Birth: 09/16/1915 Death: 07/28/1979 Marriage: 06/17/1939 |
| Cemetery: Evergreen (41-14-02) |
| Record Source: The Paris News |
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If you copy this information, please cite this as your source: Betsy Mills and Ron Brothers. The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas, ReBroMa Press, 2008, http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery. (12/17/2025) |
| Notes THE PARIS NEWS-July 29,1979: Biard dead at 63 - John W. Biard, 2745 Culbertson, died at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at St. Joseph's Hospital in Paris. Funeral services are set for 4 p.m. Monday in the Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Raymond Armstrong and the Rev. Julian T. Hendren officiating. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery. Biard was born Sept. 6, 1915 in Biardstown, the son of the late J.W.T. Biard and Edna Braden Biard. He attended Paris public schools. Paris Junior College and Texas A&M University. After working for The Automotive in Paris, Biard joined the Air Force and served for three years as a staff sergeant with a B-24 Squadron in World War II. After receiving his discharge, he returned to Paris to work for several years as city salesman for Grand Auto Parts. He left that firm to become general manager of Paris Oil Products. In December 1959, he established Biard Oil Co. and affiliated it with Phillips Petroleum Co. He was president of that firm at the time of his death. BIARD married Margie Henson of Paris June 17.1939. He was a past president of the Paris School Board; past president of the Optimist Club; past president of the Boys Club of Paris; past president of Boys Baseball of Paris, past regional vice president of the Texas Oil Marketing Association and current director of the Texas Oil Marketing Insurance Board. He was a member of the Couples Class of First Christian Church and a past chairman of the board of that church. He was an elder and has served as stewardship chairman. He was a member of the American Legion, the Odd Fellows Lodge and Paris Golf and Country Club where he had served as a director. Biard coached Little League and Pony League baseball in the Paris area for 14 years and played semi-pro baseball from 1936 to 1942. Survivors include his wife, Margie Biard,: two sons, Webb Biard and John Biard both of Paris; a daughter, Becky Biard of Austin; four grandchildren, Laurie, Evie Scott and Will Biard all of Paris; and a brother. Jack Biard. of Shreveport. PARIS CIVIC leaders expressed sadness at the news of Biard's death. "John Willie was responsible for my being in Paris." said Rev. Armstrong. "He was on the pulpit committee when I came to Paris from Dallas. This is a big loss for me, and it's a big loss for Paris. "He was a leader, a doer and he wanted things to be done well. That's the kind of guy he was. We'll really miss him in the church and in the community." "He was for his family, his church, his community and his country. He was very patriotic." Rev. Armstrong said. PARIS HIGH School Principal J. C. Coker called Biard "one of the greatest fellows in the world." "John Willie and I have been friends since we were kids. We played American League Baseball together in the 1930's. and I've been associated with him in the Boy's Club a number of years. He served as our president three years in succession. He coached baseball in Little League for 10 years. All the kids liked him. He was very interested in children." "HE WAS a director of the Chamber of Commerce, director of the school board, a director of the United Fund. Any job he took, he did an outstanding job," said former Paris News Publisher Walter Bassano. "He was a hard worker and he was very civic minded. Paris has suffered the loss of one of its greater citizens, and he will always be remembered as such. His character and his accomplishments were above reproach. "All I can say is. we'll miss him terribly," Bassano said. "I feel as though I've lost a member of my own family." "We lived across the street from him when he was first married. Our sons grew up together, and they're just like brothers," Bassano said. SEN. A.M. AIKIN obviously emotional commented, "He was one of the finest men I ever knew. He made a contribution that was equaled by few and excelled by none. He wasn't just a good citizen — he was a good man." BIARD had received numerous honors, related both to his profession and to his work with children. And some of those awards combined both areas. In 1977, for instance, he was honored by Phillips Petroleum Co. for "unusual and outstanding community services." He received a plaque. He also received a check which he immediately presented to Texas Department of Public Welfare Regional Administrator Lloyd S. Sterling for the Lamar County Child Welfare Board.. Married Margaret Henson. Tombstone is inscribed, ‘S/Sgt. US Army WWII.’ |
| War Notes Rank World War II |