Louis Southgate "Lou" Hyde, Jr., died January 6, 2009 at Calvert Memorial Hospital, Prince Frederick, MD.

He was the beloved husband of Emily Gantt Bourne Hyde with whom he shared 62 wonderful years. He was born April 19, 1924 to the late Mabel DeLozier and Louis Southgate Hyde in Pisgah, MD.

As soon as he was of age, he volunteered to join the U.S. Navy. As a sailor he was on the first PC that led the Allied armada that formed in the English Channel that proceeded to Normandy for the D-Day invasion of occupied France on June 6, 1944. On Omaha Beach, a story of tragedy and victory, there were memories that most sailors never talked about. Lou was with the crew that accepted the the surrender of a German ship in the Channel Islands, and patrolled the coast until returning home. He was fortunate to return in 1982 to see Omaha Beach with his wife and son Gary. It is now a beautiful and perfectly kept cemetery above the sea. He was with his Navy comrades for 24 annual reunions, the most recent in 2008 which was attended by four of the original sailors.

He is survived by his wife Emily Bourne Hyde, four sons, Louis S. III (Evelyn), Thomas John (Martha), Gary B. (Carla) and Joseph B. (Melissa) Hyde, grandchildren Jeffrey, Bonnie, Allison, Louis A., John, Amanda and Samantha Hyde, and Emily Gilcrest (Matt), a great-granddaughter Brooklyn Gilcrest, sisters Mattie Shafer of Easton, Mabel Agnes Johnson of LaPlata, Mildred Phillips of Indian Head, and a brother Leonard W. Hyde of LaPlata.

Lou was a member of American Legion Stallings-Williams Post 206, Chesapeake Beach, where he served as commander several times. He was a member of the Thomas Stone Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, a member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Sunderland, MD, and was previously a very active member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Bowie, MD.

He was skilled carpenter and home builder, and enjoyed building many fine pieces of furniture for family members. In 1969 he built a home on the Bourne family farm, where for forty years he raised tobacco and other crops, and helped impliment many conservation projects that helped protect and preserve farm land in Calvert County. He was convinced that there was no better medicine than sitting on that farm and watching the crops grow.

He was an avid sports fan, and enjoyed attending Bowie Baysox games and watching NFL and Major League Baseball games, especially the Ravens and the Orioles.

Arrangements provided by Rausch Funeral Home.