Louis "Louie" Jefferson Boyd

Dr. Louie Boyd was born on March 14, 1928, in Graves County, Kentucky, and died on December 5, 2024, at Presbyterian Village, Athens, Georgia. A quote written in Louie’s own hand reads, “No matter where life takes you, you don’t forget where you came from.” And he took the values instilled in him during his childhood to heart as life took him from rural Kentucky (a 1948 graduate of Sedalia High School) to the Philippines where he served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Far East (Army), to college on the GI Bill at the University of Kentucky, and the University of Illinois, where he earned his Ph.D., to living in five different states and England, as well as traveling the world for work and pleasure.

A true believer in the value of education, Louie went on to serve on the Dairy Science faculty at the University of Tennessee and Michigan State University. He spent 20 years as an administrator in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia and was named Professor Emeritus upon his retirement in 1992. During his career, Louie made significant contributions to the dairy industry and animal agriculture. His professional accomplishments and accolades were too many to name, but included induction into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame and the UK College of Agriculture Hall of Distinguished Alumni. Yet his proudest and highest achievement was being the loving husband of Rebecca Conner Boyd, who he married on June 12, 1948, and with whom he shared 70 wonderful years, until her death in 2018.

Louie will be remembered as the dapper, bow tie-wearing gentleman who greeted everyone with his warm smile and genuine spirit, a quintessential researcher and documentarian who recorded and saved everything, a valued mentor to his students and colleagues, a servant leader in the church and community, a terrific Dad and grandfather, an optimist and encourager. He documented his life and family genealogy in his autobiography titled Kentucky Boy: The Top First-Grader.

Louie is predeceased by his parents Bernice and Ethel Boyd and his siblings Kathleen Paschall and Nelson Boyd. His legacy will live on through his and Becky’s four children: Beverly (Tim) Gallagher – Carmel, IN; Beda (Andy) Cain – Athens, GA; Garth (Maria) Boyd – Vail, CO; Tina (John - deceased) Duckett – Gainesville, GA; his 12 grandchildren: Meghan Lentz, Caitlin Gallagher, Travis Gallagher, Jeremiah Smith, David Cain, Brandon Cain, Levi Boyd, Kristin Boyd, Cody Boyd, Garrett Boyd, Cameren Wilson and Joshua Mize; his 16 great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, and countless friends and colleagues. We will continue to miss him every day and will enjoy telling stories about him for generations to come.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 10 from noon - 2 PM, followed by a private service at Bernstein Funeral Home in Athens, GA. Interment is at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to St. Mary’s Hospice, c/o Trinity House, 20555 Victor Pkwy, Livonia, MI 48152, Attn: Wendy Yan, or the Rebecca & Louis Boyd Scholarship, c/o UGA CAES Office of Development and Alumni Relations, 117 Four Towers, Athens, GA 30602. The family extends heartfelt thanks to caregivers Susan Harper, Blanca Puckett, Ann Micklefield and Rhonda Rhyne.

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice. But, for those who love, time is eternity.” ~ Henry VanDyke

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.