Graveside services for Lt. Col. Arnold L. Boykin, U.S. Army (Retired), 89, of Brandon will be at 4:00 p.m., Monday, August 13 at the Greenville Cemetery, Greenville. He died peacefully on Thursday, August 9 at his home surrounded by his wife and daughters. Arrangements are under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Greenville.
He was dearly beloved and known by all of his family and friends as, ‘Showboat’. The son of Walter Ralph Boykin Sr. and Louise Jones he was born on December 25, 1928 in Washington County MS, and attended high school in Greenville MS and graduated from Ole Miss in 1952. After serving in the United States Army Artillery, he retired in 1972.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Taggart Boykin, known as ‘Doll’, and three daughters, all living in MS; Mary B. Martinez of Ridgeland, Julia B. Weber of Jackson and Cheryl Ann Boykin of Madison. His daughter, Crystal L. Boykin of Brandon, preceded him in death in 2012. He is survived by nine grandchildren living in Mississippi and Guatemala; Rene Humphrey of Benton, Salvador Melgar of Guatemala, Anthony Martinez of Ridgeland, Scott Melgar of Guatemala, Stephan Melgar of Madison, Adam Lunn of Brandon, Kristin McMillian of Ridgeland, Daniel Martinez of Brandon, and Shaun Lunn of Gulfport. And he is also survived by twenty two great grandchildren also living in MS and Guatemala.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY.