Grady Wayne Kidd

Memorial services for Grady Wayne Kidd, 73, of Gainesville, will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, January 9, 2016 at the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home with Rev. Hollis Parsons officiating.

Wayne passed away November 29, 2015 in Gainesville. He was born May 16, 1942, in Gainesville, and was the fifth of five children born to Virgil E., Sr. and Ethel L. Maner Kidd.

Wayne was a talented athlete from an early age. In 1955 he led in every phase of Cooke County Boys Baseball League averages when he was 13 years of age. He was pitcher for the Lumberman team winning 6 games and losing 1.

Being a sports lover, Wayne played quarterback for the Gainesville Leopards under Coaches Dub Wooten and Buddy Ryan. He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1960.

Upon graduation, he was awarded a baseball scholarship to Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond, Oklahoma and later attended North Texas State University at Denton.

He was an avid fan of the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees Baseball teams. If one of those teams was playing, we knew Wayne would be watching. He was the “go to” source for information about the game.

A fantastic memory was one of the amazing things about Wayne. He remembered the things we said and did and would remind us in great detail long after we had forgotten. It was a talent that served him well; us too, we could go to him for information long before Google came along. He never forgot a birthday.

Wayne spent many years in the Dallas and Ft. Worth areas working in the insurance industry where he was a winner of several top sales and leadership awards.

Being born and raised in Gainesville, Wayne returned to his home town roots in Gainesville in 2009 and resided here until he went to be with the Lord on November 29, 2015.

Wayne is preceded in death by his parents; and his sister Joyce Kidd Roberson and sister-in-law Wanda Pilcher Kidd.

He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law Virgil, Jr. and Wanda Sluder Kidd of Gainesville; brother Earl A. Kidd of North Richland Hills; sister and brother-in-law, Ruby and Gene Sebesta of Sachse; and is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Solaris Hospice, 101 E. California St., Gainesville, TX 76240.