Peggy Boyd

Margaret B. (Peggy) Boyd, 89, passed away on Sunday, January 1st, 2023, in Lakeland, Florida. Peggy was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 61 years, Jack; brothers Dick (Father Dominic) and Bob; sister Betsy and brother-in-law Gleason. Peggy is survived by sons John III and wife Terri; Bob and wife Jeannine; and Jim; grandsons John IV, Chris, and Dylan; sister-in-law Rosemary; nieces Amy, Beth, Cindy, Michelle, Debbie, and Rachel; and nephews Dan and Richard.

Peggy was born in Galveston, Texas, the daughter of Earl and Juanita Braud, in 1933. The family lived there for a short time before moving back to New Orleans, Louisiana, where the Brauds and Phillips had rich family histories. Peggy grew up in New Orleans and graduated from St. Mary’s Dominican High School. As a teen, Peggy took up oil painting and became an accomplished artist.

In 1957 she married Jack Boyd Jr. in New Orleans. Jack was a reporter at the New Orleans Times Picayune, but in 1960, with two young sons and a third on the way, Jack took a public relations position with the Martin Marietta Aerospace Company and the young family moved to Cocoa Beach, Florida. It was the very beginning of the manned spaceflight era, and they rubbed shoulders with many of the original astronauts. They lived first in a small home on the Indian River and later in a house a short walk from the Atlantic beaches.

In 1967, Peggy and Jack moved the family to Denver, Colorado, when Jack became the Director of Public Relations at Martin Marietta’s Denver division. There Peggy took a position as a teaching assistant at St. Mary’s Catholic School while raising three ever more active young boys. Peggy established an open and friendly home where all the neighborhood kids felt welcome. She became famous for her double chocolate nugget cookies, iced tea, and other assorted snacks. Peggy’s kitchen became the central meeting place for all her son’s friends, and she came to be regarded as the neighborhood mom.

In 1982, Peggy and Jack moved to Bethesda, Maryland. Jack’s job put him in charge of organizing Martin Marietta events at both the Paris and Farnborough (London) Air Shows, enabling them to make multiple trips to Paris, London, Scotland and Ireland throughout the 1980’s. The trips to Paris were a highlight for Peggy, fulfilling the dream of a young schoolgirl of French descent growing up in New Orleans.

Peggy and Jack retired to Florida in 1994 and set down permanent roots as residents of Bay Hill Village n Orlando and members of Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Peggy participated in the nine- holers ladies golf group at Bay Hill and was a longtime member of the local book club. There they established many strong and long-lasting friendships. Peggy became a big New York Yankees fan, attending spring training games in Tampa and watching on TV all season. She truly enjoyed her family and friends. She had a big heart and an even bigger smile, always making everyone she met feel happy and welcomed.

A funeral mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, 5124 S. Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, at 11:00 am on Friday, January 13th. A burial service will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park, 400 Woodlawn Cemetery Road, Gotha. The family will host a catered reception for friends and family at Woodlawn, starting at 12:15. Flowers may be sent to Woodlawn Funeral Home, addressed to Margaret Boyd.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared for the Boyd family in the online guest book below.