Staff fondly remembers Boddy’s impact on students

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Brad Boddy

Brad Boddy was an influential teacher with a caring heart for his students and colleagues. He brought energy into every room and always showed up when it mattered most.

“Once you got to know him, you knew where his heart was,” assistant principal Michael Forney said. “And that’s always where everything was coming from.”

Boddy passed away on Christmas night when he was struck by a vehicle while crossing Southwest Parkway. His loss has affected many at Memorial High School and the surrounding area. 

A special ed teacher, Boddy shared a classroom with paraprofessional Deborah Edwards and they grew a strong connection in their first year working together.

“He really showed me how to work with students and behaviors,” Edwards said. “He gave me a lot of tools so that I could succeed in my future.”

Boddy put in the effort of caring for each and every student. He never gave up on a student and always pushed them to their best.

“He had almost a fatherly bond with some of the students in his classroom,” Edwards said. “He was always willing to meet the students where they were at and help them to succeed as who they were as a person.”

Boddy joined Memorial when it opened, but he also worked with kids at Hirschi, City View, Wichita Falls High School and McNiel Middle School. 

Paraprofessional Pam Belcher didn’t meet Boddy until they worked together at Memorial, and she said the two hit it off because of their light-hearted personalities. 

“He never saw bad in any student,” Belcher said. “He just saw the good in them, and he was always willing to help anybody.” 

Boddy was always there for those he cherished most. He will always be adored and appreciated for all he’s done for his friends, students and schools. 

“It definitely impacted me in knowing that both of us are always trying to do what’s best to make a difference,” Forney said. “He’s someone that I could always count on to do that.”