Pastor James Maurice Boyd

Pastor James Maurice Boyd
James Maurice Boyd, beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend, was born at Walter Reed Hospital on October 1, 1958, in Bethesda, Maryland to his beloved parents, the late James Boyd and Darlene H. Conway Boyd. His journey and work on earth was finished as he entered eternal rest on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
James' father was in the United States Airforce. As a result, his schooling was in various places where as a young child, a teacher told him he would never be able to learn. He proved this wrong when he graduated from Henry Foss High School in 1977.
James truly embodied the concept of living life to the fullest and embarked on doing just that. From a young age, James found pleasure in the simple, yet dangerous adventures of life which included: riding bikes backwards, riding dirt bikes, fishing for hours on end; becoming an avid surfer, learning to jet ski, water ski, snow ski & snowboard, and the list goes on. He found beauty in history and would often be found attending garage sales, thrifting (educating others in the art form), curb surfing, dumpster diving, collecting vintage jewelry, and many other things.
James' mother is a praying woman who embodied the importance of Christian living and guided him and his siblings to church where he accepted Christ at an early age. Through his mother's consistency in Christ, James grew in confidence and boldness and could always be found sharing the Gospel of Christ with others, especially while he was at school. Upon graduating from Henry Foss High school, his adventures led him to return to Hawaii for a year where he continued to live out his passion doing whatever his hands found to do, in whatever direction the path laid before him. While in Hawaii, under the tutelage of the Dido family, God was able to lead James on a journey that further cultivated his spiritual growth. With his renewed faith and strength in God, he returned to Washington state and began working at a print shop Business Communication Inc. (BCI).
It was "Homecoming" 1977 at Foss High School that James first met his wife, Sharlene. She was in student government and responsible for the homecoming t-shirts sale & delivery. She lost his and his friends shirts. His friend was clearly upset, and James intervened until the shirts were found. Lost t-shirts set in motion the plan that God had for them. James frequently visited Foss's campus to (in his words) "encourage the students with their relationship with Christ", as well as attended most sporting events/games. In all of these events James made a point to seek out Sharlene. "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord". Proverbs 18:22 (NIV). James found, pursued and then married Sharlene L. King on a Thursday evening at 10pm following the mid-week service on September 11, 1980.
In the months following their marriage life began to happen for them. Not only did James transition to a new job working for Monitor Molded, but nine months, one and a half weeks after they married, they welcomed their first-born son, James Daniel Boyd III. 18 months after Hadassah Grace Faith graced them with her presence, 20 months later John Nathaniel was born and 16 months later in Nov. 1985 Joshua Eugene completed their family.
James loved the Lord and was the epitome of a Godly man. He earned everyone's respect and admiration by being a humble, caring, and a relational servant of God. Like his father, he knew no stranger and was a true "Fisher of Men". His love and concern for people and their wellbeing were important to him. His life was an incredible journey, one which allowed him to travel the world making remarkable impressions on the lives of many.
James loved Sharlene, his children, grandchildren, mother, siblings, family and friends. He loved spending time with people who mattered most to him, creating memories that will forever be cherished. His legacy will live on through the lives he loved and impacted.