Hollye Lavon Cloud, 79 of South Padre Island, Texas, passed away on Sunday, March 1, 2020. It could be said he flew on eagles’ wings, a pilot for more than a half century. There was nothing he enjoyed more than flying. He once joked while the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Forrestal was awaiting salvage at the Port of Brownsville that he was going to fly to the Port to practice “touch and go¨ landings and take offs on the ship´s flight deck. Long time South Padre Island resident, Hollye Lavon Cloud, was doing what he loved, flying and doing “touch and go” landings and take offs at the Cameron County Airport on February 28 at 7:40 pm when his Cessna 151 crashed and burned. The NTSB is investigating the accident. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hollye J. Cloud and Helen Cloud; and his sister Annette Walker of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He is survived by his only son, Hollye Allen Cloud of Memphis, TN; a brother-in-law, Jack Walker; and a nephew, Vernon Walker of Pine Bluff. Hollye was born in Monticello Arkansas on June 21, 1940. As a boy he lived on the Pinchback Plantation which his father managed. He worked for a time as a cowboy on a ranch and then competed as a rodeo cowboy. He entered the U.S. Navy after high school and spent a lifetime working for the U.S. Government travelling the world, going to college, teaching English in China, and other interesting assignments. Hollye ran with bulls in San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato Mexico. He visited all seven continents and could tell fascinating stories about each country. His final assignment was in Namibia, South Africa in the late 1990´s where he contracted a deadly virus. After being near death for several months, expert doctors at the renown Catholic Missions Hospital in Windhock, Namibia saved his life after which he decided to retire and move to the Island. His avocation was railroading and its history. He also liked fast cars owning several Camaro convertibles including a 1982 I-Rock Blue Pace Car Coupe from the Indianapolis 500. He was also a great teacher. Hollye taught a close friend´s daughter how to excel in reading, mathematics and history. When the little girl was six, Holly showed her how to use an abacus. However, when the little girl took the abacus to school her arithmetic teacher made her take it back home. While the teacher admitted the abacus could find the correct answer, it was not allowed in school. Hollye also taught the little girl to ride a bicycle, skate on inline skates, to surf, and how to swim, a sport at which she won several medals and ribbons across South Texas. At the time of his untimely death, Hollye was teaching the same little girl, now 19, how to drive. Hollye had a wide circle of friends around the world. He was generous to a fault, always helping friends and those most in need. He will be remembered for his love of people and country & western music and for loving life itself and the fun he had getting to know people and communicate with others in all corners of the globe. A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2020, at Port Isabel Cemetery. You may sign the online guestbook and send words of comfort or sympathy cards to family of Hollye L. Cloud at: www.thomaegarza.com. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Home and Crematory, 395 S. Sam Houston Blvd., San Benito, Texas, (956) 399-1331.