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John Boyd Obituary
Northampton , MA — John Raymond Boyd, resident of Northampton since 1984, died suddenly from a cardiac event on June 2, at age 68.
Born July 18, 1952 in Aurora, Colorado to Erma Fechner Boyd and Raymond Joseph Boyd Jr., John was a sweet and gentle soul, lifelong scholar, outdoor enthusiast, photographer, world traveler and teacher. His endless curiosity led him to multiple degrees, travels to Peru, Mexico, Europe and China, as well as extensive genealogical research. The family moved to Spokane, Washington then to Moscow, Idaho (1963), where he achieved Eagle Scout and graduated from Moscow High School in 1970. He earned a Phi Beta Kappa key and a BS in Physics from the University of Idaho (1976). After a short stint in Santa Cruz, California, recounted in part in "The Eudaemonic Pie" by Thomas Bass, he moved to Seattle where he received an MS in Physics (University of Washington, 1980). He moved to Northampton in 1984, earning a PhD in Linguistics (University of Massachusetts Amherst, 1992), remaining to pursue numerous interests including tutoring and most recently teaching for the Northampton School District.
John was pre-deceased by his parents and is survived by his siblings, an uncle, 8 first cousins, a niece and 8 nephews, plus spouses; and 17 grand nieces and nephews, with 2 more on the way. His siblings thank those who attended an informal gathering on June 2 and apologize to those who did not get notice. Donations may be made in his memory to a charity of your choice. Please send remembrances to [email protected].
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for John Boyd
2 Entries
Rebecca
July 2, 2021
I worked with John back in the 1990s sometime at a place called PGI. We did fundraising for non-profits. About 16 years ago I got a job at the Umass libraries and I would frequently see him in the library working on whatever he was studying at the time. Condolences to the family.
Samuel Gallezzo
June 26, 2021
John was a very kind man. I'm sorry for your loss.
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