VITAL STATISTICS

Colonel George Robert (Bob) Hyatt III (Ret), age 83, of Seguin, Texas passed away on March 21, 2023, at his home.

Bob was born June 28, 1939, in Pearsall, Texas to Bob and Grace (Howard) Hyatt. He lived in South Texas as a young man, lived and worked on a ranch for a time and developed a love of horses. He graduated High school in San Marcos Texas in 1957. Bob earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southwest Texas State University in 1961. Later in life he earned two master’s degrees; one from Auburn and one from New Mexico State University. While still at Southwest Texas State University, he made his first great decision and married Aubrey Carolyn Allison.

Bob was a career air force pilot. In training, flew the T-37 Tweet and T38 Talon. His flying skills were recognized, and he became an instructor pilot immediately after his flight training. He also flew the F-100 Super Sabre for a time. All his initial flying was in jets. The US Air Force sent Bob to Vietnam to fly the smallest slowest single engine propeller plane you can find, the O-1 Bird Dog. During this first tour in Vietnam, he was a Forward Air Controller for the famed 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, “The Black Horse”. In that first year, he saved countless lives flying over 400 missions at low altitude, often under fire, calling in supporting air strikes. It was during this tour that Bob was awarded the Silver Star by the US Army. For the rest of his life, he was particularly proud of his membership in 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. After his first tour in Vietnam, he moved over to the Strategic Air Command and began flying the B-52 Stratofortress, one of the largest combat aircraft in the world with eight jet engines. He made a second trip to southeast Asia in the B-52 flying combat missions out of U-Tapao Thailand. We can say he was a great pilot!

After retiring from the Air Force in Albuquerque, NM, he became a Special Ed teacher and taught at Los Lunas High

School, as well as Briesmeister Middle School in Seguin. He was quite involved with his horses and team penning. In 2000, he and Carolyn moved to Seguin Texas where he continued teaching for a few years and continued to enjoy his horses. One of his horses was a Palomino and for a time, he rode with the Palomino Patrol. He also volunteered at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and was a member Kiwanis and was president of Kiwanis for a year. In June of 2021 he made his second great decision and married Judy Johnson.

Bob is preceded in death by his first wife Carolyn Allison Hyatt, the mother of his four children and his brother William (Bill) Hyatt.

Survivors include his loving wife, Judy MyCue Hyatt; children, Robert Lee Hyatt II and wife Cindy, Bonnie Allison Wright and husband, Mark, John Alan Hyatt and wife, Dana, David Howard Hyatt, Jeffrey Johnson and Jennifer Johnson; grandchildren, Katherine E. Steichen, Benjamin J. Steichen, Robert L. Hyatt, III, Daniel S. Hyatt, Matthew A. Hyatt, Allison R. Hart, Jacob M. Wright, Emma G. Novis, Raechel A. Hyatt, Joshua T. Hyatt and Luke A. Hyatt; great-grandchildren, Adrin, Riley, Hayden, Henry, Bruce, Gavin and Ryleigh; his devoted sisters, Grace E. “Kita” Rutherford, Mary Ann Hyatt and Leslie K. Matthews; numerous nieces and nephews and many other loving family and friends.

The family would like to thank special friend Gary Horne, Bob’s stepchildren Jennifer and Jeffrey Johnson, and the Old Campbell Road neighborhood residents who attended him and visited him the last few weeks of his life.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at Tres Hewell Mortuary from 2 to 4 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 27, 2023, 10 a.m. at First Methodist Church with the Rev. Cathe Evins officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park. A reception will follow in Hierholzer Hall at First Methodist Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Methodist Church, 710 N. Austin, Seguin, Texas, 78155 or to the Seguin ISD c/o Special Education Department, 1221 E. Kingsbury, Seguin, Texas 78155.