David Richmond Boyd

MARQUETTE, MI – David Richmond Boyd, age 83, of Marquette, passed away Monday morning, November 18, 2024, at UP Health System – Marquette, in the loving care of his wife.
The son of Richmond W. Boyd and Miriam (Ruttenberg) Boyd, both of whom preceded him, David was born on Friday, June 13, 1941 at St. Luke's Hospital in Marquette.
He began his formal education at the Beaver Grove School where his mother was teaching and later attended Frobel-Howard and Graveraet High School. He subsequently earned bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. degrees. Locally, David was also a licensed counsellor in social work and psychology.
David was an unheralded yet tireless champion for the rights of individuals with disabilities. In his late twenties, a tumor in his neck left David paralyzed from the neck down. Rather than let his circumstances define him, Boyd transformed his personal challenge into a powerful platform to advocate for the rights and dignity of the disabled community.
A passionate and determined activist, Boyd played a pivotal role in advancing the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). His advocacy extended far beyond his beloved Marquette, Michigan, influencing policy on a national scale. Thanks to his efforts, newly designed, constructed, or altered state and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial properties are now required to be accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities.
To drive his point home with lawmakers and the public, David often took bold, visible actions. He would visit facilities lacking elevators or ramps and demand compliance with accessibility laws, highlighting the barriers disabled individuals faced daily. In 1980, he further amplified his message by appearing in a public service announcement that aired across Michigan television stations. His relentless pursuit of "what's right and fair" significantly contributed to the eventual passage of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.
Locally, David's influence was equally profound. He was instrumental in creating and securing funding for Propylon, a housing facility in Marquette specifically designed for individuals with severe physical disabilities. As the organization's inaugural president, he described its mission to the press: "To provide an alternative way of life for severely physically handicapped people in the U.P.-people who are physically dependent and might otherwise face living in a nursing home just to maintain themselves." He was an initiator of the Adult Health Camp at Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay.
David was one of the three recipients of the NMU Presidents Award for Distinguished Citizenship in 1990.
David found and appreciated a great joy in living. He possessed an inquisitive mind and took pleasure in such things as innovative thinking, travel, high humor, music and rich conversations.
David expressed deepest regret in having to leave his wife and earthly guardian angel, Lee Mei Leong; son, David (Lisa Vetter) Boyd of Middleton, WI; his daughter, Terra Boyd-Howard of Fort Collins, CO; grandsons, Ransom and Zane Boyd, Alexander (Joslyne), Kevin, and Timothy Howard; great-grandson, Lonan; along with other family and friends. In addition to his parents, David was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Mary and David Mileski.
David Boyd's legacy is a testament to the transformative power of advocacy, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to justice. He turned his personal trials into a lifelong mission that forever changed lives and expanded opportunities for countless individuals with disabilities.
Honoring his request, his cremains will be distributed among his most favorite childhood places and some other places he but dreamt of visiting.
He walked beyond, but is no more. Absentia terra firma – ad astra.
A memorial service for David will be held on Sunday, November 24, at Temple Beth Sholom at 1:00 pm.
Memorials may be directed to Bay Cliff Health Camp, P.O. Box 310, Big Bay, Michigan 49808.
Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family, where condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com
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