Octa Doyle Lively

Octa Doyle “O.D.” Lively was born in Augusta, Texas on January 9, 1926 to Annie
Mae Price Lively and Tazewell Lee Lively. He graduated from Jasper High School in
1942 and joined the Navy at the age of 17. O.D served in World War II with the 3rd
and 5th Fleets from 1943-46 as radarman on the destroyer, USS Uhlmann. He
witnessed the signing of the Peace Treaty with Japan while aboard ship in Tokyo
Bay. He attended Southern Methodist University from 1946-49 on the GI Bill of
Rights where he received a degree in Mechanical Engineering. O.D. married Norma
Gene Garrison in 1949, whom he met at SMU. He worked for the Jet Engine lab at
Allison Division of General Motors in Indianapolis for two years. O.D. returned to
Texas to be a flight test engineer for Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation in his
career in charge of flight safety and accident investigation and retired from General
Dynamics in 1992.
O.D. was an active member of the Euless First United Methodist Church where he
held many leadership positions. He taught an adult Sunday School class for many
years.
He is survived by Norma, his wife of 72 years; four children: Gary Lively (Phyllis),
Marsha Lively (Jim Langstaff), Lisa Livelybrooks (Dean Livelybrooks), Kirk Lively
(Carol); Grandchildren: Tracy Clodfelter, Nicole Wilson, Rebecca Oehlers, Sandra
Lively, Zoë Livelybrooks, Jeremy Hoch, Ryan Hoch and several great grandchildren.
He is survived by three brothers and a sister.
The Memorial service will be Thursday, May 26 at Ash Lane United Methodist
Church, 1001 W. Ash Lane, Euless at 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests
donations be made to the Mobile Food Pantry through Ash Lane Methodist Church.