63 Years and Counting

Lloyd Humphries died Jan 25, 2021

Lloyd was born on May 17, 1927, a few minutes after his brother Floyd. He weighed 3 ¼ lbs. and Floyd 2 ½ lbs. with a blanket wrapped around them. The traveling doctor (Dr Killam) said they would both die – and looking back he was right, Floyd died at 90 and Lloyd at 94. They called Lloyd “Big Baby” – he often said, “I was the afterbirth.”
He grew up in the Texas Company community in West Dallas and went to the Cement City School. This area was the poorest area in the US at that time. The twins were the first ones they looked for when something was wrong, like the time they painted one of the black cars white. (Lloyd, referring to those days, said, “You could have any color of car you wanted, as long as it was black.”) Lloyd also painted Floyd one Sunday morning with oil based black paint while his mom was getting ready for church. He would say that in those days they were poor, but they didn’t know they were, because everyone they knew was the same.
He worked on the railroad as a young man. That’s when they used a pick and carried the ties by hand. They worked 6 days a week. Lloyd recalled, “One guy’s job was to count how many times you went to the water cooler – go too many times and you were fired.”
He was a postman before his Military service. He had a walking route carrying a large leather pouch. On his last day he wanted to see how fast he could complete it, so he ran the whole way and finished before lunch. His boss told him to get back out there and finish the job, his reply was that it was all done.
He was drafted into the Army during WWII and joined the paratroopers because they paid $50 more a month. He feared heights but was determined not to be poor.
After the military he learned to fine tune a sales pitch selling bibles door to door; then joined Libby, McNeil and Libby selling canned foods. After that he started as a sales representative for a freezer and frozen foods company called Rich Plan and ten years later was Sr Vice President-Marketing with annual sales volume of $10 million.
He became a sales representative in the furniture industry “as a sideline” and built a respected rep group, opening a showroom in the Trade Mart in 1962. He told the story of one Sunday night in the 60s when he came to the showroom to get his sales kit. Trammel Crow was there and said, “Hang in there Lloyd, we’re going to make it.” 50 years later, he ran into Mr. Crow and reminding him of that night said, “It’s worked out pretty good for you, but not so good for me.” Lloyd had a showroom in The Dallas Market Center for 59 years and was never late on his rent, even through the pandemic when the building was closed. He was loyal to the factories he represented and always acted with integrity. He cared for the dealers he sold and became close friends with many. He would spend hours with a stranger that was starting a business in the industry giving them advice. Many became very successful and never forgot the time he spent with them. He didn’t see any difference between those that worked in the building and those that owned it. He is referred to often as an icon in the building.
Providing for his family was top on his list. Like many of that generation, he wanted more for his kids than he had. His kids went to camp, church activities, had a car to drive, were sent to college with money to spend. Tommie never had a budget- he wanted her to have whatever she wanted. Lloyd traveled 5 states in those early years in a car with no a/c or cruise control – and he wore a suit and tie. He said the cruise control was the best thing that ever happened to a rep. When CBs were the thing, he had one, and his handle was “The Happy Peddler.”
On a double date, Floyd announced to Lloyd and Tommie in the back seat, that he and his girlfriend were getting married. Lloyd suggested they do a double wedding – this is how his girlfriend Tommie Davis was proposed to. They were married in 1953 in a double wedding in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ new chapel on Turtle Creek Blvd. Tommie and Lloyd sealed their marriage in the Salt Lake City Temple in 1956. When they were young, they would sometimes go on a date and share a snickers candy bar, as they did not have money to spend on dates. In later years it was not uncommon to find a snickers bar with a card or flowers from Lloyd to Tommie. He mostly showed his love with service. In the last few years, he would dish up a cup of ice cream for Tommie at night. This made her happy.
Lloyd was a devoted follower of Christ. He was obedient to the commandments and anything else he was asked to do. He served in the first bishopric in Dallas. He later served for years on the High Counsel where he would often leave home at 5AM to get to the far away meeting house by 8 and spend the day with the ward (congregation) that he was assigned – after having traveled all week for his job. When challenged to read the standard works (Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants) he read them all. When asked to donate for the building fund he did it – after paying tithing (10% of income) and Fast Offerings (Donation for the Poor). He taught the Aaronic Priesthood class (young men) for years. Many have told of what a blessing he was in their life from what he taught them when they were 14, 15 and 16. He taught Young Single Adults for a while and was pivotal in changing the life of at least one young man in his class. He Home Taught the families assigned to him every month – some families for years. He loved them and knew all about them. He served in the temple for years as an ordinance worker on Wednesday night, every week after work. He was called and set apart as a Sealer, given the keys under the Prophet of God to seal families in the temple for eternity. He was/is an ordained High Priest, serving God’s children as a representative of Jesus Christ.
No doubt he is happy to be of worth again in the Spirit world. After greeting his loved ones, he most certainly said, “Now what can I do? – Put me to work.” Don’t worry or hurt for Lloyd – he is all right.
He is survived by his sweet wife Tommie; his sister Doris Nielson (Ron); children Terry, Mary Rosendahl (Jay), Larry (Jeannette) and Gary (Leslie); 15 grandchildren, 43 great grandchildren and 22 step great grandchildren. His oft repeated line is: “Christmastime at our house is like the national debt.”

63 YEARS IN BUSINESS

It seems like just yesterday - but it was not.

Thanks for the business, associations and friendships.

October 2021 was Lloyd's last month to have a showroom. He came to work almost every day until the beginning of 2021 when his heart was failing him. He then had multiple issues and the last few months were extremely painful. He went onto Hospice in Jan of 2022 and died peacefully on Jan 25.

His funeral was Feb 21, 2022 at Restland in Dallas.

Lloyd Humphries and Associates opened in 1962. Lloyd's first showroom was in the Dallas Trade Mart on the second floor. He moved to the World Trade Center in 1979. The showroom was closed October 31, 2021.

Terry Humphries - 214-680-5116 (cell) terry@LloydHumphries.com
Gary Humphries - 214-693-7325 (cell) gary@LloydHumphries.com
Dale Pieper - 210-710-1112 (cell) dale@LloydHumphries.com