Maurice E. Kidd was born, April 29, 1908, on the family ranch just north of the Mason-McCulloch County line.  His parents were John Benton and Ollie Ann Baze Kidd.  John Benton's brother, Frank, lived just to the west of him on an adjoining ranch.  Lilly May Kidd Jordan and Jefferson Kidd were his siblings.
    He attended school in Mason, Texas and later attended A&M University.
    Maurice married Fernie Lavada Wood on November 18, 1930.  They had one daughter, Louann Kidd Hall.  After Lavada's death in 1975, he married Geneva Strickland in 1982.
    He was a longtime Brady Independent School District board member and a 1968 recipient of the Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award.

The following is taken from this award presentation by Frank Corder: (Published in the Brady Standard, March 1969 edition.)
    "Our recipient tonight is essentially a farmer and rancher, but he is also a man who is 'interested in young people'. He is an avid sportsman in many fields.
    "He takes a special interest in young people and their deerhunting.  He works as guide for Operations Orphan and many weekends during deer season he has seen a youngster kill the very first deer of his life.  In fact he has been known to help a young man kill his first deer then laughingly remark 'Well, I've ruined another boy by making a deer hunter out of him."
    Those were the words spoken by Frank Corder who introduced M.E. Kidd as recipient of the 1968 Distinguished Service Award at the annual Chamber of Commerce membership meeting here Tuesday Night.
    Corder went on to say that not only had Kidd helped these young people but had been known to donate his time and furnish equipment to work on the school ground or plow up the football field.  And he has been know to take his own vehicle to drag in a broken down school bus.
    Kidd was first elected to the Board of Education of the Brady Independent School District in 1950.  He served for seven years then was again elected to the board in 1963.  He was president of the board from 1964 through 1967.
    Corder noted that Kidd had dug into his own pocket for money and used much of his own time making trips to Austin, San Antonio or any other place he needed to go to secure decisions and learn of laws pertaining to the local schools.
    "When he first became a member of the board, finances were not in very good shape.  In fact warrants were carried in local banks to meet expenses,  Now finances are sound," Corder said.
    "This man had served as chairman or co-chairman of building committees which built over one million dollars in new facilities.  Many of his hours were spent seeing that the taxpayer of this district got his money's worth in construction," Corder related.
    "He had made it a point to remain in the background as much as possible but has been first in line to study or work for a better school system for all our children.
    "An unselfish man, and interested man, I introduce the 1968 Distinguished Service Award Winner, Mr. M. E. Kidd," Corder said.
    Kidd is a native of McCulloch County, as is his wife, a former school teacher.  He was born in 1908 at Katemcy, on the place he now ranches just this side of the Mason County line.  He also has two other ranches near Camp Air.
 
    Mr. Kidd was a 50-plus-year member of the Camp San Saba Masonic Lodge, No. 55.  He also was past high priest of the Brady Chapter No. 264, Royal Arch Mason.  He was a member of the Knights of the York Cross of Honor; past high priest of Brady Council No. 199, Royal and Select Masters; past commander of Brady Commandary, No. 68, Knights Templar; past district deputy grand master of Masonic Lodge District, No. 71; and past district deputy grand high priest of the 34th District of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas.
    He was a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Austin and was a life member of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc.
    Mr. Kidd died December 4, 1985 at the age of 77 and was buried beside his wife, Lavada, and his parents in Bethel Cemetery at Camp Air, Texas.
    (Note: Maurice Kidd's paternal grandparents were William Seree Kidd and Matilda Jane Stone Kidd of Loyal Valley. His maternial grandparents were Jefferson Peter Baze, Jr. and Elizabeth Whisenunt.)

Submitted by: Louann Hall