Elizabeth Margaret "Bessie" Boyd

Elizabeth ''Bessie'' Margaret Boyd, 97, of Bradenton, Fla., died Jan. 23, 2006. A memorial service will be held Friday, Feb. 3, at 11a.m., at Westminster Bradenton Shores, 1700 Third Avenue West, Bradenton, with Rev. Dan Hagmaier officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Boyd Scholarship Fund, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA 01075. Born in Britain, in 1908, Bessie graduated from Edinburgh University with Bsc. Honours and class medals. She then went to Mount Holyoke College, U.S.A., where she obtained an M.A. Degree, later receiving her Ph.D. at Cornell University. Bessie taught at Edinburgh and McGill Universities and, in 1937, joined the faculty of Mount Holyoke College, eventually becoming Professor of Zoology. For many years, she was a Director of Mass Audobon Society and a Fellow in Tropical Medicine. She has traveled extensively, including the Galapagos Islands, and has presented many scientific papers in Zoology. She discovered many new species of parasites, including the first ever of a mite residing in the sinus of birds, now raised to genus status-Boydia. She was a teacher devoted to the students, establishing a substantial scholarship fund for students studying biology. Bessie retired, in 1973, and later became a resident of Florida. She brought enormous energy and enthusiasm to all her activities, including volunteering at Blake Hospital, for 20 years, being an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church, and helping to establish the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Club of Southwest Florida. Her involvement and, indeed, her initiation of many activities at the Westminster Bradenton Shores Retirement Home has been very much appreciated. Bessie was a unique and very special person and well loved by her many friends and associates. She was also loved and treasured by her family, which includes two nieces, two nephews, and their offspring, all in Great Britain.