Gary Honeycutt

Gary authored a brief autobiography and his family wanted to share the following excerpts:

“I became a patent attorney in 1962.   It was a glorious and incredible achievement, because no one in my family, and none of my relatives had ever gone beyond high school.   Based upon my limited vision of future opportunities, it seems likely I could have lived my entire life in Arkansas, as a store clerk or truck driver. 

I had never heard of “higher education” until my senior year in high school, when my favorite teacher asked about my plans for college.   My answer was “What’s that?”  She convinced me to go; and she offered to make sure I could afford it.    My parents got me started with $60 for the initial enrollment fee at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana; and I found a job on campus which paid for everything.   Two years later, I transferred to the University of Arkansas and completed my B.S. in chemistry in January of 1954.   

I was hired by Monsanto as a research chemist at the chemical plant just north of El Dorado, Ark.    I had no plans for anything else in my future.   The work was interesting.   The people were friendly, and I was happy.   I fell in love with Carolyn Moore, we became engaged, and scheduled our wedding for June of 1956.    Who could ask for more?

Meanwhile, one of my co-workers suggested that I meet a visiting Monsanto patent attorney, to explore the idea of becoming an Examiner in the U.S. Patent Office, while earning a law degree at night.   He explained that the Patent Office had recently been authorized to hire several hundred examiners, and that I was fully qualified for such a position.    Wow!!!    This was fantastic!!

The general idea was that I could become a patent attorney, as soon as I graduated from law school and passed the bar exam in any state.  I received my Law Degree in 1961.   It was immediately clear that I could get at least a 25% increase in pay by leaving the Patent Office to join the patent department of a major corporation.    So I did it!    We [ultimately] chose Texas Instruments in Dallas and moved there in November of 1968.   The company was a well-known leader in semiconductor devices, the pay was good, the location was ok, and the business atmosphere was casual.   The offices were plain, the work was exciting, and there was more work than we could possibly do.   Somehow, it all suited me fine.”

Left to cherish Gary’s memory are his children, Walter (Michelle) Honeycutt, Karen (Ron) Collins; his four grandchildren, Blake Thomas, Courtney Thomas, Samuel (Kaylyn) Honeycutt, Owen Honeycutt; his sister Margie Hall and her family; as well as other relatives and friends.

Gary’s memorial service will be at Charles W. Smith & Sons Funeral Home: 2925 5th St, Sachse, TX 75048, at 2:00 pm on February 27, 2024.