Frederick Thomas Boyd

FLORIDA — Frederick Thomas Boyd was born November 3, 1947, in Iowa City to Dr. Eugene and Louise Boyd. He died peacefully on May 8, 2022, at his home with his family in The Villages. FL. A Graveside Service and burial will be held at Hopewell ARP Church Cemetery in Blackstock, SC on June 12, 2022, at 3:00 PM with Rev. Michael Shaffer officiating. Fred loved his life, his family and his career, and fought a patient and valiant battle with cancer. He attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he met Mary Shannon, his wife of 52 years. While at Eastman he distinguished himself as an outstanding musician and scholar. He received Bachelor and Master Degrees as well as the Performer's Certificate in Bass Trombone. Fred began his career as a low brass performer in the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, where he played for over 30 years. At the time of his death he was still a performing member of the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra in Florida, and the Chautauqua NY Symphony Orchestra where he played 37 summer seasons. His career also included travel, playing with many US orchestras from Phoenix to Charlotte to New York, and internationally from Osaka, Japan, to Helsingborg, Sweden. Besides his love of music, Fred was an avid hobbyist, sometimes turning an interest into a passion or part-time career. He raced bikes in motocross and enduro motorcycle events. He built a harpsichord. He was an excellent photographer, marksman, pretty decent athlete, and a fearless pilot of anything with wings. He learned to fly everything from gliders to small jets, and flew commercially for UPS and other private airlines in Syracuse. He built his own plane, which he flew everywhere for over 25 years and “almost crashed only once.” In retirement he was an active member of E-flyers, a remote control plane club in The Villages. Besides his wife, Mary Shannon Boyd, Fred is survived by his three sons: F. Remington Boyd of Baumholder, Germany, Jonathan R. Boyd of Asheville, NC, and Michael J. Boyd of Austin, TX, as well as two beloved grandsons, Miles Frederick and Keller Michael Boyd, also of Austin. He is also survived by his siblings Helen Boyd Healy, John Boyd, and Jim and his wife, Jill Boyd. In South Carolina, extended family includes Dr. Bob and Jenny Shannon, Lila and Kelly Hunsucker, Mary Beth and Allen Hammond, Shelley (Hunsucker) and Wally Brown, Daniel and Mandy Hunsucker, many cousins, and great-nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, Fred’s family would like memorials sent to one of the following: the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, or the Hopewell ARP Church Cemetery Fund. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.barronfuneralhome.com.