William H. Boyd, Jr.

William Henry Boyd, Jr. died peacefully at Encore at Parkside, formerly Millcroft Living, in Newark, Delaware on December 27, 2025.

Born and raised in Henderson, North Carolina, he attended high school at Henderson High School for 3 years. In Henderson, he joined the Episcopal Church. For the last year of high school, he attended Porter Military Academy.  In 1947, he enrolled in NC State College (now NC State University) in the ROTC program, which required a commitment of two years of service after graduation.  In his last year of college, he met the love of his life, Anne Cadieu, in Raleigh, where she was also a college student. Immediately after he graduated in 1951 with a degree in Chemical Engineering, he and Anne married. They began Army life, first moving to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, followed by New Jersey "Letterkenny" Arsenal, and then Camp McCoy in Wisconsin, where he and Anne welcomed their first child, a son named William after his father and grandfather. After fulfilling his two-year obligation in the Army, he was honorably discharged with the rank of 1st Lieutenant as a bomb disposal officer.

William and Anne settled in Portsmouth, Virginia, where he worked for Virginia Chemicals as a Chemical Engineer.  William joined Port Norfolk Baptist Church there. They welcomed their second child, a daughter named Lou Ann, and raised their family, remaining in Portsmouth until William retired in 1983.  After retirement, he and Anne moved to Hamlet North Carolina, near Anne’s home town, where he accepted a position as the Chief Operator of the Hamlet Water Plant until his final retirement in 1994.  They enjoyed life in Hamlet, living in a house built to their specifications. They joined First Baptist Church of Hamlet, where William served as a deacon. Over the years, 4 grandchildren expanded the family.  In 2021, he and Anne moved to Newark, Delaware to be near their son Bill.

As a youth, William was a “country boy” who enjoyed hunting, fishing and frog gigging at the Lake Largo with his father. Having been born just before the beginning of the Great Depression and experiencing fuel and some rationing during World War II as a teenager, he learned to be very frugal with money and how to wring every bit of usefulness out of what he had. Although his Army service did not take him out of the continental U.S., it was not without danger. In later years, he told of an incident in which his life was spared because a detonator unexpectedly activated but failed to detonate the associated nearby explosive. As an adult, he was a competent handyman who could perform many house repairs and auto maintenance himself.  He loved to cook, acting as the occasional “gourmet cook” for his family when he had time and eventually taking on all the cooking in later years when his wife experienced mobility issues.  A fan of classical music, he would often whistle opera pieces as he worked around the house.  He had a lively sense of humor, sharing “dad jokes” and puns and quoting humorous Ogden Nash poems. He modeled honesty, integrity, and respect for others to his children. In his retirement, he became interested in investing and diligently researched stocks and market trends. Many of the members of the staff of the senior living facility appreciated his devotion to Anne and his expressions of gratitude for their assistance. Most of all, his highest priority for his entire life was taking care of his family, a project in which he excelled.  He will be greatly missed.

He was predeceased by his parents, William Boyd Sr. and Jessie Boyd; his brother, Cary; and his beloved wife, Anne.  He is survived by his son, Bill (Diane); daughter, Lou Ann (Mark); grandchildren, Laura, Matthew, David, and Steven; and 2 great grandsons.

There will be a combined memorial service for both William and Anne Boyd, married for 73 years until her passing in 2024, at the First Baptist Church of Hamlet at 208 Charlotte Street, Hamlet, NC on Saturday, April 11 at 2:00 pm. The service will be immediately followed by an opportunity to visit with the family.

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