Robert B. Boyd

Lt Col Robert B. Boyd

Pilot, Public Servant, Civil Engineer, Outdoorsman, Historian

Robert 'Bob' Boyd of Walpole, MA passed away August 13, 2011, surrounded by his family. He was 87. Born in Cambridge, MA in 1924 and raised in Haverhill, he moved to Walpole in 1956 where he served as Town Administrator and has lived ever since.

He was the son of the late Robert and Elizabeth (Chase) Boyd, a graduate of Haverhill High School and the University of New Hampshire (1948).

Mr. Boyd served as a fighter pilot with the US Army Air Corps during WWII (88th Fighter Squadron, Burma) and with the US Air Force during the Korean Conflict (335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron). He flew many different aircraft, including P-40's, P-47's, P-51's and F-86's among others. Upon returning to the U.S. he flew in the NH Air Guard, CT Air Guard and the MA Air Guard. Lt Col Bob Boyd was a Command Pilot with thousands of hours of flight time. His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and Oak Leaf Clusters.

He remained active in general aviation following his military service and particularly enjoyed flying gliders, which he pursued passionately for nearly 20 years. He was a member of the Greater Boston Soaring Club and loved flying from the airfield in Franconia, NH. He made his last flight in July.

As an Engineer, Mr. Boyd was employed by the State of New Hampshire designing roads and bridges, by the Town of Walpole as Town Administrator and Town Engineer and later by Factory Mutual. As a public servant, Boyd was Town Moderator and served on many boards and committees, including the Walpole scholarship foundation and historical commission. In all, he volunteered more than 50 years of service to the Town of Walpole. He attended the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Norwood, MA.

Mr. Boyd enjoyed the outdoors and was a conservationist and avid hiker, having walked hundreds of trails and climbed scores of peaks in New Hampshire and Vermont. He could often be seen walking throughout his hometown of Walpole, MA.

Bob Boyd is survived his daughters Diana Clark of Hinesville, GA, Beth Drake (Frank) of Portsmouth, NH and Barbara Boyd (Daniel Pintos) of Pompano Beach, FL, as well as son Alan Boyd (Laura) of Windham, NH and his former wife Janet Boyd Deutsch of Plantation, FL. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common St Walpole, MA, at 7pm Thursday August 18, 2011. Memorial donations may be made to the Walpole Scholarship Foundation 3 West Street Ste 9 Walpole, MA 02081.

"Love supports the struggling heart until it ceases to sigh over the world, and begins to unfold its wings for heaven".