Leslie Boyce Bryan

Leslie was born on October 14, 1924, on a Magnolia Pump Farm near Groesbeck, Limestone County, Texas, to Leslie Brennan (Kelly) and Irene Bryan. He grew up in Katy, Luling, and Sealy, Texas, completing high school in both Luling and Sealy. In the fall of 1942, he began his freshman year at Texas A&M University. His plans changed quickly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In March 1943, Leslie was drafted into the U.S. Army and began infantry training in Georgia. He signed up after seeing a sign encouraging those skilled in math and science to join the Air Corps. He completed Air Corps training at several locations, including San Antonio, Biloxi, Huntington (Marshall College), Laredo, Houston, and San Marcos. Assigned to a B-24 squadron, he underwent bombardier training in Mountain Home, Idaho, and later trained in aerial mapping and photo reconnaissance in Oklahoma City. As a lieutenant navigator, he successfully led his crew on a solo flight from Florida to Brazil, Africa, and finally to India, where they joined the 24th Combat Mapping Squadron. They flew supply and photo missions in the China-Burma-India Theater and were later stationed in the Philippines, where they photographed major battle sites across the Pacific. He returned to the U.S. in August 1946.

After the war, Leslie attended Baylor University and earned a BBA in 1949. He married Brownie I. Horner in 1948, and they settled in Mart, Texas. He began a 30-year career with Mart ISD, serving as a coach and teacher, and later as the Superintendent of Schools from 1957 to 1979. After retiring from education, he worked as a Vice President for a savings and loan company in Waco, and subsequently as Operations Officer and Consultant for Brazos Higher Education Service Corp. until 2012. His wife of 75 years passed away in 2023, and Leslie currently resides at Providence Village in Waco.