Richard Boyd

Richard Paul Boyd unexpectedly passed away on November 8, 2021. The medical team worked 44 minutes trying to revive him. Even in the brief hours with his doctors they realized what a fine man Richard was. The sorrow and shock felt by the staff at Sarasota Memorial Hospital has echoed throughout Richard’s family and friends. Richard was born December 16, 1952 in Roaring Springs, Pennsylvania. I am sure when God picked Richard’s birthday it was so that he would be able to watch the world wake up in the spring, so that he would be able to appreciate the rushing of the rivers where he would be found fishing, enjoying wildlife, and marveling at all things new. Three years after his birth he was blessed to have a sister, Donna. With his parents and sister they moved to Takoma Park Maryland where Richard attended Takoma Academy and later Columbia Union College with a B.S. in Health Sciences. From 1975-2009 he worked at Washington Adventist Hospital first as a lab tech, then as the Manager of Nuclear Medicine, finally as the Director of Radiology Services. His career then took him to Auburn Regional Medical Center where he was the Director of Imaging Services from 2009 until his retirement in 2016. Richard was seen by colleagues as dependable, friendly, intelligent, hard-working, and dedicated. Richard chose to work within Adventist Health Care system because of the Christian environment, feeling it resulted in better patient care and a better attitude by employees to the patients. Richard’s work and personal life mirrored one another. To his friends and family he was known to be loyal, steadfast, trustworthy, kindhearted, patient, and in love with God. While he was most definitely all of those things, he also had a mischievous side. Richard named one of his cats “What” because he thought it would be funny to answer “What?” every time someone asked him his cat’s name. When he was in high school he lit farts in the woods with his buddies. He would sneak up behind unsuspecting victims to startle them. Richard’s love of practical jokes facilitated his daughter’s love of practical jokes. Always ensuring that she understood that pranks should never be hurtful or damaging. On a Sabbath afternoon at the New Market camp meeting, Richard met the true love of his life Bonnie. In Bonnie’s retelling of their first meeting she “Saw the crowds part and a very handsome man with stunning blue eyes, the kindest eyes she had ever seen” walking towards her. It was then that she knew God had answered her prayers for a father to her daughter MeLanie. (Which was his second love) The world may not believe in love at first sight. But if you knew Richard and Bonnie together you would know that there was love, above all else, love. Did they always enjoy the same things? No, early on in their relationship he took her in a small boat down the Shenandoah River. Bonnie pictured a beautiful picnic with linens, finger sandwiches, and perhaps a parasol. What she got was mosquitoes, murky water, and the smell of fishy fingers as he gently cradled her face in his fishy hands to tell her how much he loved her. The love continued, alas their fishing adventures did not. Richard was always dedicated to being a fisherman. One time he hooked his face, had the ER remove it, and went right back out there. However, Richard did not give up on having a fishing buddy. So he took his daughter MeLanie out on their first Father’s Day for their first fishing trip. This is where she caught her first eel. Richard made her take it off of the hook herself, telling her she could do anything she set her mind to. Since then they have been fishing buddies. Richard met Kevin at his nephew Billy’s house for dinner. After dinner Richard and Bonnie told MeLanie that they had met “the one” for her. A short 4.5 years later Kevin asked Richard to marry his daughter MeLanie and they became a family of four. Later on the family was made complete by the addition of Richard’s granddaughter Charleigh Rae. Up until that moment in Richard’s life he had managed to never change a diaper. Upon the “request” of his daughter MeLanie, he changed his first and only diaper. At each diaper change thereafter he would be found outside appreciating the fresh smells and sights that the world has to offer. Charleigh Rae was Richard’s sidekick. While he took the time to teach Charleigh Rae about nature/gardening and the importance of taking care of it, he also took the time to sneak in splashes from the hose, thus beginning a water battle much to Charleigh Rae’s delight. In his early days Richard could play a “mean game” of racketball. He was also proud of driving his custom ordered Dodge Daytona on the original clutch for 230,000 miles. He was the one to catch the biggest or most fish on a trip. Richard and Bonnie enjoyed swimming with manatee, dolphins, feeding giraffes, and long car rides as he pointed out all of the wildlife. In Richard’s excitement to show his family all that God’s world has to offer the front passenger would find his finger right under their nose. In addition he had a passion for growing things such as bananas, orchids, limes, lemons, kiwi and working to graft a plum and apricot tree, thus making a “plout”. Richard’s Bible has many highlighted texts. Throughout these texts there is a common theme. God’s love, His presence during times of great sorrow and anxiety, and the infinite help God offers. In 1 John 3 Richard highlighted a few passages. Two that stick out are “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” Richard is survived by his wife Bonnie, his daughter MeLanie, her husband Kevin, and his grand-daughter Charleigh Rae. He is also survived by his sister Donna Harley, her husband Tim, and their children Melissa, Michael, and his wife Paige. Richard is preceded in death by his parents Paul and Lola Boyd. A celebration of life will be held November 13, 2021 at 4:30pm eastern time. Due to lingering CoVid concerns, we will be providing streaming services. Richard loved all of our family pets especially his most recent pet Bentley. Because of his fondness for animals, in lieu of flowers please send donations in Richard’s name to barccmeow.com/give.

Richard Boyd

December 16, 1952 - November 8, 2021