James Alexander Boyd

Boyd, James A., “Jim”, age 87, of Dayton, OH passed away Sunday, March 3, 2019. Jimmy, as he was fondly known by many, was born in Middletown, OH on June 13, 1931.

He was a graduate of Cooley High School in Detroit, MI in 1949 where he played both golf and basketball. He received a degree in Business at Western Michigan in 1956. Jim was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity and served two years in the Army in Korea during college, 1953-1954. Jim returned to Western Michigan after his service, graduated, and then married Sandrena Rooks Gillaspy in Spring Lake, MI in 1956.

Jim followed in his step-father’s footsteps, joining Armco Steel in a sales role. His sales career began in Cleveland, OH where he and Sandy welcomed their three children, Lindsey Allen (’60), James Cameron (’62), and Kimberly Anne (’64) into their family. The family moved to Orchard Park, NY; Minneapolis, MN; Middletown, OH; and eventually in 1976 to Dayton, where Jim settled into his role as the District Sales Manager for Armco Steel. After 25 years of service, Jim left Armco, joined Buckeye Steel and later Lafayette Steel, finally retiring from the steel industry.

Jim was an avid golfer, enjoying membership at various country clubs, and even hitting a hole-in-one on the very difficult 8th hole of the OSU Scarlet course. In Jim’s retirement, he and his second wife, Kay Louise, owned and ran two restaurants: Reflections on Far Hills Avenue, and the Waterfront Saloon and Tiki Bar at Indian Lake. Jim and Kay eventually sold these businesses and retired to the sun, first to Hilton Head, SC, and later to Leesburg, FL.

In Leesburg, Jim was a member of the American Legion Post 347. Kay passed away in 2011 and Jim returned to Dayton to be near family and friends. He lived his last few years at Brighton Gardens where he is remembered as the consummate Michigan Fan, dressed in his Maize and Blue, and donning his Michigan hat.

He is preceded in death by his father Van Blain Boyd; his mother Mildred Irene Leonard Pardonner; his step-father Paul Franklin Pardonner; and his second wife, Kay Louise Boyd (’39). He is survived by his three children Lindsey Boyd and his wife Joanna of Springboro; J. Cameron and his wife Jill of Steamboat Springs, CO; Kim Yamauchi and her husband Craig of Truckee, CA; his two half-sisters Julie Spratt (’40) and her husband Ralph of Madison Heights, MI; and Patty Smith (’44) and her husband Lisle of Piqua, OH; his grandchildren Michael Boyd; Adam Boyd; Sydney Boyd; Bridger Boyd; Zachary Yamauchi; and Anna Yamauchi; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held in Dayton in May.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be provided to the Alzheimer’s Association in Jim’s memory. Donations can be done online at https://www.alz.org/ or mailed to 225 N. Michigan Ave. Floor 17 Chicago, IL 60601.