×
×
homepage logo
SUBSCRIBE

Stuart Robert Boyd

Aug 26, 2022

Stuart Robert Boyd was born August 10th, 1939. In the early 1940’s when Stuart was a young boy in Spokane, Washington his mother Margaret joined the Army Air Forces Ground Observer Corps. She began a vigilant watch of the skies over Spokane to see that no hostile planes approached unnoticed. Whether Spokane represented a critical piece of the Axis invasion is lost to history. What isn’t lost to history is that Margaret cut out the identifying shapes of both Allied and Axis planes and hung them from Stu’s ceiling so he could pick them out as well as she. That was that. By the age of three or four, Stu was determined to be a pilot.

He pursued that dream with a drive, focus and positivity that was his essence throughout his life. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1961 and became both a combat and test pilot, retiring as a Brigadier General in 1991.

Those traits that Stu developed as a young child translated even more so to his relationships with those around him. He was a great husband to Marnie, father to Chris and CeCe, and a friend, mentor, teacher and counselor to countless others.

After retiring from the Air Force, Marnie and Stu made their way back to the mountains to make a permanent home in Northern Utah. Twenty minutes from skiing and a short journey to a river for fishing, Stu was ready to begin his retirement. So he immediately got a full-time job at Weber State University, started doing pre-marriage counseling for new couples with Marnie, and became Chaplin of the Civil Air Patrol. Not exactly the standard retirement we think of; Florida, golf courses and Bocce ball at the club, but exactly the right “retirement” for Stu.

Once the activity slowed down a wee bit after twenty years or so, Marnie and Stu ventured to all seven continents, finishing up one year ago with a boat trip up the Volga River in Russia.

Stu lived a full day every day of his eighty-three years. We all are blessed with only so many days, and we would do well to take a lesson from him.

He passed into eternity early in the morning of Tuesday, August 16th, 2022, and is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Marnie, children Chris and CeCe, and his sister Ann.

The Celebration of Stu’s life will be held Sunday August 28th, 4 pm, at Genesis Project church, 3525 Riverdale Rd, Ogden Utah 84405. Reception following with food and an open mic.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Stu’s honor to the Utah Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (https://www.upwsa.org/) or the United States Air Force Academy (usafa.org, Support USAFA.)

Details of Stu’s military career are detailed here for anyone who wishes to learn more. https://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/Article/107631/brigadier-general-stuart-r-boyd/