John Raymond Boyd died suddenly from a cardiac event Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at age 68 in Northampton, Mass., where he resided since 1984.
Born July 18, 1952, in Aurora, Colo., to Erma Fechner Boyd and Raymond Joseph Boyd Jr., John was a sweet and gentle soul, lifelong scholar, outdoor enthusiast, photographer, world traveler and teacher. His endless curiosity led him to multiple degrees, travels to Peru, Mexico, Europe and China, as well as extensive genealogical research. The family moved to Spokane, then to Moscow (1963), where he achieved Eagle Scout and graduated from Moscow High School in 1970. He earned a Phi Beta Kappa key and a B.S. in physics from the University of Idaho (1976). After a short stint in Santa Cruz, Calif., recounted in part in “The Eudaemonic Pie” by Thomas Bass, he moved to Seattle, where he received an M.S. in physics (University of Washington, 1980). He moved to Northampton, Mass., in 1984, earning a Ph.D. in linguistics (University of Massachusetts Amherst, 1992), remaining to pursue numerous interests, including tutoring and most recently teaching for the Northampton School District.
John was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his siblings, Andrea (Steve) Fountain, Dave (Carlotta) Boyd and Sylvia (Eric) Engerbretson; an uncle; eight first cousins; a niece; and eight nephews, plus spouses; and 17 grand-nieces and grand-nephews, with two more on the way. Donations may be made in his memory to a charity of your choice.
