Lloyd "Lance" Pavelka

Lloyd “Lance” Pavelka was born November 4, 1956, in Inglewood, California, to Bonnie Hugo and Stephen Pavelka Jr. He passed away in his home on November 9, 2026, in Buffalo, Texas, at the age of 70.

He spent most of his youth in Barstow, California, bringing lizards and snakes home as pets as a kid. As he grew up, he began working at Calico Ghost Town, where years later his grandkids were able to visit and enjoy.

Lance was primed for military service, as his father was in the Marines. He chose the route of the Army, serving twenty-one years and retiring with honors as a Sergeant First Class. Serving as an Infantryman, Firefighter, Military Police Officer, and Military Police Investigator, he traveled the world, seeing the Persian Gulf, Germany, South Korea, and Hawaii. He completed his outstanding career as an Army Recruiter, introducing others to his love of service.

After retiring from the Army, Lance jumped right back into service with the Odessa Police Department (Odessa, Texas) from 1999–2005. He moved on to Buffalo PD and became Chief of Police, serving the town of Buffalo, Texas, from 2005–2022.

While many knew Lance as strongly opinionated and mouthy, everyone also knew he had an amazing, kind, and helpful heart. If you needed something, he was there—from helping with travel expenses, to paying for the kids of Buffalo to play sports, to supporting his own kids’ and grandkids’ adventures. Known by many names—“Chief,” “Pop-Pop,” “Pee Pop,” “Grance,” and “Dirt Ball”—he deeply loved the people of his town, his children, and his grandchildren. He will be dearly missed.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Bonnie; his father, Stephen; and his brother, Donald.

He is survived by his three children, Katy Windham (Johnathan “Red”), Sara Benavides (Jonathan), and Alex Reed; his grandchildren, Xavier, Addison, Kimber, Hunter, and Jay-cee; and his niece, Stephanie Pavelka O'Brien.

A funeral service will be held 1 P.M., Monday, November 16, 2026, at Walters' Buffalo Funeral Home, Buffalo, Texas.  Pastor Alan Grisham will officiate the service.  The community is invited to a visitation Sunday, November 15, 2026, from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M., also at the funeral home.

Final arrangements are under the direction of Walters' Buffalo Funeral Home, Buffalo, Texas -- A Walters Family Funeral Home.