James C. Boyd, 73, of Chadds Ford, died Sunday, March 8. Jim was born on Dec. 27, 1946, in Syracuse, N.Y. to the late Edgar Francis Boyd and Margaret Lillian (Mason) Boyd. He graduated cum laude from the University of Rochester with a bachelor’s degree in English.
Jim's 38-year career working as an editor in the academic publishing field included assignments in Santa Monica, Calif. where he worked for Goodyear Publishing Co.; in Glenview, Ill. for Scott, Foresman and Co.; in Upper Saddle River, N.J. where he worked for Prentice-Hall Higher Education, and later for Pearson Technology and Consumer Publishing Group.
Jim showed a remarkable aptitude for music at an early age. When a school counselor brought his exceptional musical test scores to the attention of his mother, she encouraged his pursuit of music by purchasing instruments, enrolling him in music instruction, and taking him to concerts. As a teenager, he sang and played acoustic guitar and the five-string banjo in a number of award-winning bands. His interest in country, folk, and bluegrass music continued throughout his adult life as he entertained family, co-workers, and the public in a variety of settings. Selections of Jim's recordings can be accessed at fandalism.com.
By the mid-1980s, Jim developed an interest in the liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church and served as the director of contemporary music groups in the following parishes: Holy Cross Catholic Church in Deerfield, Ill.; Church of Saint Augustine in New City, N.Y., and Saints Peter & Paul Parish in West Chester. Jim also served as music director for the parish baptism program at the Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River, N.J. Following his retirement from publishing in 2013, he served as a musician volunteer for Heartland Hospice in Chadds Ford, compassionately ministering to the terminally ill through his gift of music.
Jim was patient, kind, soft-spoken, and inquisitive. He repeatedly demonstrated his ability as a problem solver and had a memorable sense of humor. A natural introvert, he clung to the safe periphery of large family gatherings, and was often heard to say, "I enjoy being in the vicinity of people who are not bothering me."
Jim is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Patty (Daly) Boyd of Chadds Ford; son James Ryan Boyd and his wife Jamesina Harrick of Media; daughter Meghan Jean (Boyd) DeMaio of Downingtown; five grandchildren: Emery James Boyd Harrick, Carmella Rose Boyd Harrick, Rocco Fox Boyd Harrick, Rory James DeMaio, and Abigail Jean Drescik. In addition to his parents, Jim is preceded in death by his brother, Gordon Boyd and sister, Betty Jean Boyd.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Jim was held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 16, at Saint Joseph's on the Brandywine, 10 Old Church Road, Greenville. Inurnment followed the mass at the adjacent cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to "Penn Medicine Hospice" and sent in care of the R.T. Foard & Jones Funeral Home, 122 West Main Street, Newark, DE 19711.
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