Arlene Boyd

1923 - 2025

Arlene Boyd

November 12, 1923 - May 1, 2025

Frances "Arlene" Boyd, 101, a lifetime resident of Grand Island, passed away Thursday, May 1st, in Grand Island. Funeral Services are Tuesday, May 6th, at 2 p.m., at All Faiths Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Grand Island City Cemetery. Visitation is Monday, May 5th, from 5 to 7 p.m., also at All Faiths. Memorials are suggested to Steve Jardine Memorial Scholarship c/o GI Public Schools Foundation or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Arlene was born Frances Arlene Swearingen on November 12, 1923. Parents were Josephine Armanda Brown and Earl Ralph Swearingen. She was educated in Grand Island attending Barr Junior High and graduating from Grand Island Senior High School.

Arlene met her husband, William "Billy" Boyd when he was home on leave from the Army Air Corps to attend his brother Leslie's funeral. They were married December 16, 1945, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Gollaher Chapel. Billy and Arlene had four children, all girls, Pamela Jardine, Deborah Heimbuch, Terri Buchanan and Sherri Bergholz.

For many years Arlene was a homemaker, staying home to care for her children. When she joined the workforce, she was employed as a department manager at Skagway for 25 years.

After Billy passed in 2005, Arlene made dear friends with her neighbors on Ada Street. They had Friday Dominos Night and Saturday Husker watch parties. She also went to lunch daily at the Grand Island Senior Center, where she met a very special friend, Lowell Goodman. Arlene and Lowell loved to dance and play pinochle as often as they could. They have remained dear friends, and Lowell visited and cared for her daily the past few months since she became ill.

Arlene's greatest joy was her grandchildren. She loved her daughters and sons-in laws, but the grandkids, great grandkids, and recently great-great grandkids, brought her true happiness. She was affectionately known to them as "Grandma Great – The Great One". She would want her entire family to be mentioned by name as her survivors: children, Pamela and Keith Jardine; grandchildren, Shelly and Russel Harvey, Steve and Deb Jardine, Jennifer Jardine; great-grandchildren, Tayler Harvey, Morgan and Keagan Palmer, Jaden Jardine, Brooke Jardine, Jordan Jardine, Megan and Josiah Holl, Katie Ellis, Luke Ellis; great-great-grandchildren, Charles Holl, Jack Palmer, Knox Palmer; children, Deborah and Robert Heimbuch; grandchildren, Jill and Troy Moser, David and Rebecca Heimbuch; great-grandchildren, Heidi and Caleb Magee, William Moser, Nolan Heimbuch, Chase Heimbuch, Dawson Heimbuch; children, Terri and Gary Buchanan; grandchildren, Molli Buchanan, Maggi and Joel Wiegert; great-grandchildren, Natalie Wiegert, Charlie Wiegert; children, Sherri and Dave Bergholz; grandchildren, Chad and Sara Bergholz, Matt and Mandi Bergholz; great-grandchildren, Emerson Bergholz, Elliot Bergholz, Jacob Bergholz, Jackson Bergholz, Elijah Bergholz.

Arlene was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Boyd; her mother, Josie Swearingen; one brother and two sisters; and her grandson, Steve Jardine.

All Faiths Funeral Home