Ben Harold Boyd Jr.

Author Ben H. Boyd, Jr. passed away at age 72 surrounded by loved ones at his home on May 11, 2019 after fighting cancer for more than a decade. Ben was born in Dallas, Texas to Major Ben H. Boyd, Sr., a combat pilot in the U.S. Air Force, and Bobbie Jean Jones, a vocalist in a female close-harmony swing band of the boogie-woogie era.

Ben grew up in Texas, Illinois, Japan, Tennessee, and finally, Georgia, where he attended Sprayberry High School and graduated in 1964. In high school he lettered in baseball and football and played in a garage band called The Beach Nuts.

A Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, Ben trained as an intelligence analyst and was stationed at Goodfellow Airforce Base in San Angelo, Texas, Clark AB, Philippine Is., and Ft. Meade Maryland, where he worked for the National Security Agency. Following an honorable discharge, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Angelo State University and Master’s Degree in Human Relations and Management with a tri-major in Communications, Psychology, and Business from Abilene Christian University.

He worked in the oil, gas, and energy utilities industries attaining the office of Vice President, Regulatory/Policy, most recently at EnerNex, Corporation, Knoxville, TN. In 2008, he received the prestigious Utility Technology Association, Utilimetrics President’s Award for Leadership after chairing the Public Policy Committee for 3 years.

He was engaged in his community, having been elected Councilman in 1981 and then, Mayor of Pflugerville, Texas in 1983 when the town had 1500 residents. During his tenure as mayor, he along with other committed volunteers, drafted the City’s first Master Plan laying the foundation for P-ville to become the thriving Austin suburb of 60,000 that it is today. He and his wife Donna were founding members of the First United Methodist Church of Pflugerville and were active in the Service to Mankind (SERTOMA) and Lady Service to Mankind (LaSERTOMA) Optimist Clubs.

After his successful career in public and private companies, he retired to a farm in Blount County with his beloved wife of 38 years, where he kept horses, raised vegetables, and embarked on his second career – authoring 14 action/adventure fiction novels.:

His passions were his farm, his writing, and his family. He is survived by his wife Donna Hammett Boyd, children and their spouses, Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson, Ph.D. (Robert) of San Diego, CA, Ben (Tad) H. Boyd III, (Emily) of Keller, TX, and Marilyn (Mia) Irene Holmes, D.V.M. (Wesley) of Oakland, TN, 7 grandchildren and one due to be born in October. He is survived by his siblings and in-laws Donald Grissom (Martha Ann) of Marietta, GA, John (Johnette) Boyd of Cartersville, GA, and Barbara (David) Price, of Euharlee, GA and eight nieces and nephews and numerous great nieces and great nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00PM May 26th, at First United Methodist Church of Maryville, 804 Montvale Station Rd, Maryville, TN 37803, followed by a Receiving of Friends with light refreshments in Wesley Hall from 3:00PM to 4:00PM.

Because nothing would make him happier than some posthumous book sales, donations to Blount County Memorial Hospice, First United Methodist Church of Maryville, and book purchases are requested in lieu of flowers. Digital or print copies of his books may be purchased here: http://bit.ly/BenBoydBooks