Melvin Wesley Boyd
1923 – 2010
Melvin Wesley Boyd was born in Missouri Valley, Iowa, on February 13, 1923, to Wid and Rose Boyd. Wes passed away on January 2, 2010, in Dillon, Montana.
As a youngster in Iowa, Wes enjoyed many adventures in the company of his cousin Jay, some of which met with disapproval from his mother and his Aunt Vera. Stories of Zippy the Raccoon, shooting pigeons from the inside of a newly finished barn, and skunk hunting on the way to school provided lots of entertainment for friends and family in recent years. Wes’ first car, which was given to him at the age of 12, was a marvel; there was no seat, but sitting on the car’s gas tank proved to be the perfect spot from which to drive.
The Boyd family moved to Montana in 1938, when Wes was 15 years old. He immediately found work at the Almon Reid Ranch and herded sheep for them for several years. It was during that time that he met Wayve Marie Boyd, a Twin Bridges girl. Wes and Wayve were married on March 10, 1944, and their loving partnership lasted until his death. Wes served in the US Army during World War II for nearly three years; he served in Europe and was awarded the Bronze Star for Bravery (due to some lost paperwork, he did not actually receive his Star until November 30, 2006.) His years in the Army were often trying, but he befriended many individuals and told several entertaining stories about his exploits with his good friend, Dotterer, from Pennsylvania.
After returning to Montana, Wes worked for most of his career as a top ranch hand and cowboy, caring for the cattle, horses and cow dogs he loved. He particularly enjoyed trailing cattle from Silver Star to the Upper Ruby and back each year and often commented on the joy that riding and working cattle brought him.
Wes was always able to rely on simple mathematics to solve any problem at hand; he was gifted at creating tools to simplify the manual work he did on a daily basis, and could solve most dilemmas by just carefully thinking things through. Wes went to work as a John Deere mechanic in Dillon in 1978 and retired in 1985.
Wes and Wayve have five children; they are very proud that each of the five graduated from college and are leading happy, productive lives. In recent years, Wes was, on several occasions, heard to say that Mom and I are proud of you kids, grandkids, and great grandkids – there’s not a dud in the bunch. Gushing praise from a man of few words!
Wes is survived by his wife Wayve; son Michael Boyd of Billings; daughters and sons-in-law Evelyn and Bill Alley, Townsend; Sue and Mike Jensen, Dillon; Kerry and Tom Johnson, Montana City; and Cindy and Ed Coad, Dillon. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and sister-in-law Fern Kirley of Helena. Wes and Wayve have numerous nieces and nephews who survive him. He will also be missed by his cousins Kathy and Lloyd Douglas of Logan, Iowa, and special friend Les Masterson, Enterprise, Oregon.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, January 8, 2010, at 10:00 am at Brundage Funeral Chapel in Dillon; interment of his ashes, with military honors, will be at the Silver Star Cemetery at 2:30 pm. The family prefers memorials to Smile Train, PO Box 96210, Washington, DC 20090-6210 (www.smiletrain.org) or to the charity of the donor’s choice. A guestbook is available on line at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.
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