Marilyn Louise Boyd

Marilyn Louise Boyd, 77, of Van Buren passed from this life June 23, 2022. She was born December 20, 1944, to the late Henry Joseph and Elizabeth Catherine (Edelhuber) Sax. She graduated from St. Scholastica Academy in 1962. She was a graduate of Westark Community College, Arkansas Tech University, and held a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Marilyn was a natural teacher and touched many lives as a fourth-grade teacher for thirty-six years at King Elementary School in Van Buren. She also taught for two years at Christ the King School in Fort Smith. Marilyn was a past president of the Van Buren Education Association, coordinator of the Crawford County Spelling Bee for twelve years, a recipient of the Phi Delta Kappa International Outstanding Elementary Educator award, and was an adjunct faculty member of Arkansas Tech University and UAFS for ten plus years.

Marilyn was a devout Catholic and loyal servant leader at St. Michael Catholic Church. She is a former member of the Parish Council, former Parish Religion Education teacher, stalwart member and past president of the St. Michael Altar Society, and a regular participant and contributor to the Monday night bible study class.

She was Memaw to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She continued teaching beyond retirement by sharing her love for reading, cooking, traveling and her faith with her grandchildren. Marilyn inherited a love for nature on the family farm and showcased this love with gardening, tending plants and trees and caring for animals; she shared this love with her grandchildren. She was a cat person and always helped animals in need. Marilyn was best known for her engaging, friendly smile, incredibly positive attitude, unflinching perseverance, and her eagerness to help anyone who needed it. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother dearly loved by her family. She will be sorely missed.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her brothers, Charles Sax of Altus, and Jerry Sax of Texarkana; and her sister, Delores (Sax) Spyres of Ozark.

She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Walter Boyd; sons, Mick (Libbie) Boyd of Rock Island, Tennessee, and Justin (Lori) Boyd of Fort Smith, and daughter Suzanne (Steven) Gosch of Fort Smith; grandchildren, Miranda (Jacob), Kirsten (Michael), Mora, Olivia, Amelia and Bryson; great-grandchildren, Sophia, Caleb, Liam and Noah.

Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Van Buren. Burial will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at Fort Smith National Cemetery under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren, AR.

Rosary will be 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, 2022 with the family visiting with friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home, 4100 Alma Highway, Van Buren, AR.

Pallbearers will be Mick Boyd, Justin Boyd, Steven Gosch, Michael Burdick, James Shelby, and Jimmy Mack.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Michael Altar Society (1019 E Pointer Trail, Van Buren, AR 72956) or your favorite children’s charity.