Robert Alton BOYD

1939 - 2020

BOYD, Robert Alton

Robert died on June 8, 2020 after a long illness. He was born on February 22, 1939 in Omaha, Nebraska. He spent his grade school years in Iowa then moved to Boise with his twin brother and their mother, a high school Spanish and French teacher. The brothers were distance runners at Boise High School and later for Oregon State University. Their OSU cross county team won a national title and both were named to the University Sports Hall of Fame. Boyd graduated from the College of Forestry with a degree in Forest Engineering. He married a fellow OSU student, Jill, and they began their 57 year marriage together in Georgia where Bob was stationed for the Army. After his short military stint Bob spent his early career with Boise Cascade Corporation and at times relocated across the country taking on various assignments. He earned an MBA from UCLA and in the early 1970s moved his young family to Sedro-Woolley, WA. He was a committed Rotarian. He purchased a saw mill and modernized it. By the late 1970s it was one of the first computerized mills on the West Coast. Bob worked hard advocating for small family-owned sawmills across the Northwest. He served in leadership roles for industry organizations and traveled to Washington, D. C. to lobby and testify before Congress. In the early 1990s Boyd and Jill moved to Spokane where in due time he commenced a forestry consulting firm. He advised regarding and managed private timberlands in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho until his retirement near Sacramento in 2012. Bob was a Husky and Seahawk football fan. He gladly responded to requests for advice from his children Jan and Chris as they progressed through their careers. He particularly enjoyed backpacking with his brother and friends for more than 60 years. When he was diagnosed with Parkinson's and later Lewey Body disease he refused to give up; he fought through with grace, humor and a lack of bitterness.

Boyd is survived by Jill, his brother Bill and sister-in-law Joan, his daughter Jan, his son Chris and daughter-in-law Marci, grandsons Carson and Mason, his sister-in-law Joanne, brother-in-law Doug, nephew Chris, nieces Catherine (Kacey), Dana (Bart), Corey (John), Hannah, Claire, Grace and Kate and a number of longtime close friends.

A celebration of his life will take place later this year.