Boyd Thomas Williams

Boyd Thomas Williams, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend returned to his eternal home on August 23rd, 2017 at the age of 91. Boyd passed away due to the frailties of age, leaving peacefully in the embrace of loved ones.  “BT”, as he was often called in the military and by family and friends, was born in Rigby, Idaho on Monday, June14th, 1926 to Thomas LeGrand Williams and Lucille Williams, the second of five children.  His siblings are Shirley (Clyde) Johnson of Rigby (who preceded him in death); Gary (Mary) Williams; Sandy (Gary) Pettingill; and Vicki (William) Bell, all of Rigby.  He attended schools in Rigby and graduated from Rigby High School.  Boyd joined the U.S. Navy two days after graduation in 1944, traveling to Camp Farragut in northern Idaho for boot camp and attending radio school at the University of Idaho in Moscow—he was skilled in Morse Code after studying it in high school.  After a short leave in Rigby, he reported to San Diego to serve as a radioman on the aircraft carrier USS Block Island. His ship earned several battle stars for combat action in the Pacific Theatre.  Boyd talked reverently of the tragic condition of the American prisoners of war who were rescued and taken to safety on the Block Island.  He sailed throughout the Pacific and through the Panama Canal to the East Coast where he was discharged from the Navy in 1946.   Boyd returned home to marry his high school sweetheart, Dona Mae Campbell, daughter of Clarence and Maggie Campbell.  Boyd and Dona met on Easter Sunday of 1942; they were married in his boyhood home in Rigby on August 16th, 1946.  Boyd worked in Rigby at the old Safeway store on Main Street and eventually began employment with the Lost River Transportation Company in 1951 in the dispatch department before moving into payroll and accounting roles.  He spent the rest of his career working for several different contractors of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Department of Energy (including Aerojet, Westinghouse, and EG&G) in their work at what is now known as the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.   Boyd worked in accounting and supervisory roles located in the main offices in Idaho Falls until his retirement in 1990. Boyd and Dona celebrated the birth of their first child, Randy D Williams, on October 15, 1949, in Rigby. Soon after, they moved to a home on Shelley Street in Idaho Falls and later to a home on Woodruff Avenue.  Their second child, Thomas Scott Williams, was born on December 30, 1954; their daughter Lezli Ann Williams was born on June 3, 1960.  Their children attended schools in Idaho Falls and each graduated from Idaho Falls High School.  Boyd and Dona enjoyed a loving marriage which was solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple on their 20th wedding anniversary.  They created a warm and loving home environment for their three children.  Boyd and Dona were kind and thoughtful parents who taught the family to love the outdoors, camping, hiking, fishing, wildlife, music and family.  Boyd delighted in taking Dona and the family to the most beautiful places in the West—especially the Tetons which became a sanctuary for the Williams family over the years.  Tragedy struck unexpectedly in 1987 when Dona succumbed to cancer, passing away on May 19, 1987, after nearly 41 years of marriage.  In 1990, Boyd retired from work, moved to Utah and married Betty Call Harris, a longtime friend from Rigby.   They married in March 1990 and lived in Murray, Utah.  They enjoyed golfing and traveling around the United States and abroad.   Sadly, Betty passed away in November of 1996.    Boyd moved to Sandy in  2010 and lived alone in what he liked to call his “man cave” apartment.  Boyd lived independently, including driving.  He balanced his checkbook to the penny every month and loved crossword puzzles, books, and magazines.  He recently became a devotee of social media, using an Android tablet every day.  He was always eager to spend time with family.   Boyd had a special love for his long time best friend, Julie Landures of Sandy. Boyd was a faithful member of the LDS Church, serving as a High Priest. He loved to travel with family, especially in the mountains and the parks.  Boyd would routinely pay for the rental of mountain homes in Wyoming, Idaho and Utah where his family would gather for annual reunions.  These were the best of times with games, activities, plentiful food and endless story telling.  Water fights and food fights were common; each reunion wrapped up with prayers, expressions of love and the annual ritual of the “family photo”. He had no enemies and held no grudges.  He was known for his non-judgmental, unconditional love and respect for all.  His character was shaped by significant losses and challenges which never overwhelmed his cheery disposition and optimistic outlook.  Boyd was a kind and loving patriarch and always a gentleman. Boyd was preceded in death by his parents; the love of his life, Dona; his second wife, Betty; his son Randy; and his older sister Shirley.  He is survived by his three siblings; his son Tom (Debbie) of Alpine, Utah and daughter Lezli (Ken Matthews) of Sandy, Utah; along with 12 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.  Boyd’s memorial services will be held at the Eckersell Memorial Chapel located at 101 West Main Street in Rigby, Idaho. A viewing will be held on Tuesday, August 29th from 7:00PM until 8:30PM. Funeral services will follow on Wednesday, August 30th at 11:00AM. Interment will be at the Annis Little Butte Cemetery.