August 23, 2022
Mary Arlene Lewis Boyd went to her forever home with Jesus on Saturday, August 20, at the house which had been her temporary home for the last 46 years in Ashland KY. She was surrounded by her beloved family as the Lord provided her last breath. She was 84 years old.
Mary’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at Russell First Baptist Church at 901 Ashland Drive, Russell KY. Visitation will begin at 10 am followed by a service at 11 am. She will be laid to rest, next to her beloved husband at the Rose Hill Burial Park in Ashland.
Mary was born September 11, 1937, in Paintsville KY to Charles H. Lewis and Sula (Preston) Lewis. She was educated at Meade Memorial High School and Mayo State in Paintsville before taking a job in Washington DC with the Veteran’s Administration. It was in Washington that she first met her husband and best friend of sixty-five years, Willis Keith Boyd, also from the Paintsville area. Settling in the Tri-State after Keith’s discharge from the Navy, Mary embodied everything good about being a home-maker and stay-at-home mother to her three children.
After retirement, Mary and Keith traveled the country in their motor-home, and would often be gone for weeks at a time! They loved traveling together and family often joined them on their adventures. Mary always seemed to observe God’s creation with a child-like wonder and amazement and often journalled their experiences.
Mary faithfully served the Lord from the time of her salvation until her disease made it impossible. She was a member of Wildwood Baptist Church in Ashland KY at the time of her passing. She taught Vacation Bible School, Sunday School and loved to help children and youth know Jesus Christ. Quite possibly her greatest passion was serving children at various church camps over the course of about 35 years. Throughout her later life, Mary heard from countless students she had impacted. One of her trademarks was reading missionary stories and leaving the kids in suspense at the end of each day. There was almost nothing Mary wouldn’t do for students in service to Jesus, including dying red her snow-white hair, and dressing up like a super-hero complete with a cape, mask and red tights. She lived out Psalm 71:18 “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by siblings Melanie, Irene, Charles Jr, and Ronald. Those left to cherish her memory are her three children Deborah Kaye (Steve) Click of Ashland, KY; Wayne Keith (Mary) Boyd of Versailles, KY; and Nathan Aaron (Janni) Boyd of Germantown, WI; seven grand-children Sheri (Shayne) Sperry, Sarah (Travis) Ervin, Stefany (Jeremy) Stephenson, Ryan (Megan) Boyd, Caitlyn (Matt) Noble, Ashton (Maddie) Boyd, and Lydia Boyd; and thirteen great grand-children Aidya, Kaelyn, Tristen, Lily, Austen, Dylan, Nessa, Sawyer, Nellie, Virginia, Elaine, Ruby, and Ransom. Also surviving are siblings Harold Lewis of Port St. Lucie, FL, Billie Taylor of Hopkinsville, KY, Jearlene Meadows of Richmond, KY, and Donald (Sandy) Lewis of Staffordsville, KY. She will also be missed by many other family members, friends, and former students.
Memorials can be made to Community Hospice, Inc., 1480 Carter Ave., Ashland, KY 41101 (https://chospice.org/giving-to-hospice).
Lazear Funeral Home is both honored and privileged to have been entrusted with the care of Mrs. Boyd.
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