The Pinecone
|
June 2014
• 7 •
Don Boyd
E V E R Y M A N ’ S M A N
In June, we celebrate Fathers Day, giving well-earned
recognition to men in their traditional roles of bread winner,
military veteran, and one with special skills passed down to
their children. Don Boyd was asked to represent the fathers
at Kirby Pines and be interviewed for the June Pinecone.
Don was born in Chicago in 1930 to Edna Margaret
(
Peggy) Bayless Boyd and Prentiss Johnson Boyd, who
preferred to be known as PJ Boyd. The Boyds also had
a daughter, Martha. PJ Boyd worked at General Motors
as a mechanic; Peggy Boyd was a homemaker. Due to
circumstances beyond their control, the family moved to
Brookhaven, MS and lived with kin. In lieu of paying rent
for these lodgings, Peggy was responsible for collecting
rent from other tenants and PJ sold life insurance policies
and was responsible for the upkeep of the property.
In high school, Don was a Boy Scout Counselor; he
was talented with the clarinet to the extent that he was
offered a scholarship to further studies at the college level.
Don graduated from Delta State University with a BS
Degree in Business Finance; he graduated from Indiana
University with a MBA; and a PhD in Business Finance
from University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). He taught for 37
years at Memphis State, retiring in 1994.
Don was in the Navy from 1950-1954. He was assigned
to aviation electronics at the Millington Electronic School;
then was sent to Newfoundland Patrol Squadron to maintain
the radio and radar units, and patrolled shipping lanes around
Greenland for anti-submarine activity. It was a tradition in
the Boyd families that the males all joined the Navy for
their military careers, to honor their Uncle Eugene Boyd
who survived the Bataan Death March and was interred for
approximately 4 years.
Don met his wife, Doris, in Clarksdale, MS. They married
in 1954, and have a son and a daughter, 5 grandchildren and
2
great grands plus twin great grands on the way.
Don is in the Gardening Club; grows amaryllis bulbs for
display in the Lobby; oversees the fishing rodeo, including
storing, restringing line, new hooks each Spring. He is
particularly focused on maintaining the Purple Martin’s
Houses, cleaning them in the Fall and boarding up the
entrances to keep the sparrows out, and watching for the
Spring return of the birds to remove the boards and welcome
the birds back to Kirby Pines. The Martins are wonderfully
adept at eating mosquitoes (for which we are thankful).
We much appreciate Don’s steady oversight of the Martin
Houses.
Don Boyd and the other fathers at Kirby Pines exemplify
the traditional teaching by example, modeling for their
children and grandchildren behaviors and philosophies of
life. While they are modest about the importance of their
setting standards and expectations, their families have
benefited. We honor the Fathers on their special day of
recognition. Well done.
–
Jacqueline Besteman, Resident
