Alexander Boyd, born September 13, 1927 to Letitia Blain and George Maxwell Boyd in Woburn, Massachusetts, passed away on June 18, 2016. Al grew up on the farm with his older brother, Ham; younger brothers, Blain, Jimmy, and John; and their sister, Elizabeth. In 1949 Al accepted a position as an Electrician's Assistant / Engineer and shortly thereafter married a nursing student, Shirley Reynolds, on June 18, 1950. This was very fortunate for Al because it was Shirley who first diagnosed his diabetes just days before he was to report for service in the Korean War.
In 1957, Al and Shirley moved to south Florida where Al worked as an electrician for the City of Fort Lauderdale Water Department. Once settled in Fort Lauderdale they adopted a beautiful baby girl, Nancy Lynn Boyd Wolf (deceased, 2011) and three years later, a second baby was adopted into the family, Betty Jean Boyd Mader.
Al worked for the City of Fort Lauderdale's Water Department until he retired on April 1, 1988 as Superintendent of Maintenance. After retiring they moved to Collegedale, Tennessee to be closer to Nancy and her family.
In the fall of 2004, Al lost his wife and helpmaid, Shirley, to breast cancer. Friends and family credit her with filling their home with love and laughter. Al often said because he had such a wonderful marriage with Shirley he felt strongly that he should not be alone and in 2005 he married, Delores "Dee" Parker. During the 10 years they were married he became a snow bird, spending winters in Arizona and summers in Montana to be near Dee's family. In December 2015 Dee passed away and Al relocated to Orlando, Florida to live with his daughter, Betty Jean and son-in-law, Larry.
Al was proud to tell friends that he was a Seventh-day Adventist for 76 years. He was active in his church as an elder and Sabbath School teacher. He often sang for church and was a member of a quartet for many years. In his later years he and Dee enjoyed singing together.
Al is survived by his youngest daughter, Betty Jean Mader, her husband Larry Mader, five grandchildren, Leticia Wolf of Nashville TN; Amanda Wolf of Nashville, TN; Ronson Wolf (wife, Amy and son Ryler) of Loma Linda, CA; Jason Wolf of Honolulu, HI; and Marlene "Meme" Mader-Siqueiros (husband, David) of Savannah, GA; as well as his brother John Boyd and sister Elizabeth Coe.
A graveside service will be held at a later date in Collegedale, Tennessee. Instead of flowers, which Al can no longer enjoy, please consider supporting a cause close to his heart, Adventist education. Donations can be made through the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Office of Education.