Tamara Brooke Boyens

1983 - 2017

Tamara Brooke Boyens
Sep. 23, 1983 - Jan. 6, 2017
Resident of Tucson
Tamara Brooke Boyens, 33 years young, of Santa Cruz, CA., died suddenly due to complications from cervical surgery to correct compression of her spinal cord. The cause was from a previous car accident where she was a passenger while traveling to Tucson, AR. to pursue her PhD in Applied Linguistics.
She was born with remarkable language skills. A true genius, beautiful inside and out. She learned sign language, and earned her Bachelor's degree in Speech and Language Therapy from Illinois University. Then she attended the University of San Diego audiology but switched her major to Applied Linguistics because she realized language and writing has always been her passion. She was working on her PhD dissertation and was currently a Professor teaching Applied Linguistics at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She received many honors throughout her college education. She published her first science fiction novel, "Under Dark Sky Law" March 1, 2016, by Supposed Crimes. She also had written a second book called "Seoul Circuit," which will be published this year by Supposed Crimes. Barnes and Noble stocked her first book, an incredible honor. As a fiction writer, her commitment to academics, and lifelong learning, left a mark on everyone who knew her. The pain of the loss of our dearest, brilliant daughter is too deep for description.
Tamara is survived by her mother, Deb Danielle Boyens, a retired nurse, her father Mark Allen Boyens, a retired Fire Captain, and her brother Justin Bryce Boyens, his life partner Amanda Hoschke, their children Arianna Justine Boyens, Brianna and Brandon Yaegar, her grandparents Frances and Tim Tompkins of San Juan Bautista, many aunts, uncles and cousins as well as many close friends and colleagues, she is also survived by her beloved, most loyal dog dash, and her cat weasel, who never left her side. A kind thank you Jason Lee, for taking in her pets.
Tamara was predeceased by her paternal grandparents Barbara and Walter Boyens.The funeral is upcoming and will be announced on Facebook under Danielle Boyens. If you would like to send condolences to Tamara's family, share a memory, or light a candle please visit www.scmemorial.com
Footnote from Tamara's book, "Under Dark Sky Law, " Tamara Boyens is what happens when a coastal Californian washes up among the prickly pears. Although she's become a connoisseur of saguaro cacti and heatstroke, she is still a fish out of water who doesn't actually like seafood. As a professionally trained linguist, she spends most of her time hanging around words, and usually those words are up to no good. When she's not accidentally hugging cacti, she can be found at the bottom of a coffee cup in Tucson, Arizona."


View the online memorial for Tamara Brooke Boyens