Obituary provided by the Department of Animal Sciences

Robert Douglas “Bob” Josserand, 89 of Hereford, Texas passed away Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, in Hereford.

Josserand was born in Pratt, Kansas on June 24, 1931 to Robert Warren and Helen Douglas Josserand. He graduated from Colorado State University in 1953 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science. Upon graduation, Josserand served as County Agent in Springfield, Colorado, and later as a bank officer in Julesburg, Colorado.

While in Julesburg, Josserand was asked by the Governor to serve as a Colorado State Highway Commissioner. He later was hired to develop farmland and cattle feeding operations in Southwest Kansas prior to his move to Hereford, Texas in 1971 as Regional Manager for Farr Better Feeds.

Josserand served as President of Procor Cattle Company, which became AZL Resources, from 1973 to 1983. During that time the company owned feed yards in Texas, Nebraska and Arizona, and ranches in Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona and Mississippi. In 1983 he bought AZL Resources cattle division and formed what is now AzTx Cattle Co.

Josserand has been active in industry organizations, serving on the Boards of the National Live Stock and Meat Board in Chicago, the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and the National Cattlemen’s Association. He served as president of Texas Cattle Feeders Association (1985) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (1989), and is a past member of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. Josserand was commissioned as a member of the Texas Agriculture Task Force in May, 1988, by then-Governor Clements. He was named “Man of the Year in Service to Southwest Agriculture” by Progressive Farmer magazine in 1991. In February, 1993, he was inducted into the International Stockmen’s Hall of Fame by the International Livestock Congress. In September, 1998, Josserand received the National Golden Spur Award sponsored by the Ranching Heritage Association. In May, 2000, Josserand was included among 100 individuals named by the Amarillo Globe-News in its “History Makers of the High Plains” and in September 2004, was named one of “The BEEF Top 40″ by the editorial staff of Beef magazine. Josserand was selected “Livestock Leader” by the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University in 2007. In July, 2015 Robert was inducted into the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame.

Josserand served on the Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group from 1998 through May, 2015 and in October, 2013 was elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Trustees of the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas.

In September, 2005 Josserand and his wife, Nancy, received the Pioneer Spirit Award sponsored by the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, and in April, 2013, Mr. and Mrs. Josserand received the Amarillo area’s highest honor for arts donors, the Summit Award, granted by the Arts Committee of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce.

Josserand has resided in Hereford, Texas since 1971 and served as Mayor of the City for 22 years from May, 1993 to May, 2015. In November, 2015 Josserand was elected to the board of the Deaf Smith County Hospital District. He was named Hereford’s “1994 Citizen of the Year.”

Josserand was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church of Hereford. Josserand served in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in the Bay area of California during the Korean conflict. It was there Josserand met his future wife, Nancy Peterson.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 66 years, Nancy, sons John (Sandy) Josserand and Barry (Christie) Josserand, a daughter Joan Poarch (Kim); eight grandchildren, Dana, Clint, Holly, Haley, Lauren, James, Andee and Jacob; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Jimmy, and a son Doug.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice, or to the Douglas Josserand Memorial Scholarship at West Texas A & M WTAMU Box 60765 Canyon, Texas 79016.

The Khuri Foundation 540 W 15th, St, Hereford, Texas 79045, First United Methodist Church of Hereford. 501 Main St. Hereford, Texas 79045, or The Scottish Rite Hospital For Children PO Box 199300 Dallas, Texas 75219