Clyde Neal Boyd

He had been ill for several years and though bedfast, never complained. We are grateful for his caregivers who were living examples of patience and care.

As a young man, Clyde’s love of adventure would take him far away from his Wheelwright, Kentucky birthplace. After attending Morehead State University, he was stationed in Japan over four years while serving in the United States Air Force. He returned home to marry his bride and best friend, Phyllis Smiley, in 1958. His was married 64 years.

At age 30, Clyde was given a chance to prove himself as a store manager for the Singer Sewing Machine Company moving throughout the state of Ohio, eventually making his home in Cincinnati. He had a real knack for sales and spent long hours, 9am-9pm, Monday-Saturday, pouring tremendous effort and hard work into building successful stores year after year. On Sundays, however, Clyde would be found ushering in his church and visiting nursing homes, where he became a lay minister for the bedridden. He would carry a small organ in the back of his station wagon in his early years, with removable wooden legs, to accompany his hymn singing. He loved being of service to people at every station of life.

Also in Cincinnati, his sales acumen landed him an interview with Nationwide Insurance and in mid-life was recruited to build an agency, along with his wife as his office manager. Clyde and Phyllis would prove to be a formidable team and together go on to build one of the largest agencies in their district. An untimely ruptured disc suffered playing weekend basketball led him to use the phone next to his bed to cold-call prospects. He would go on to win many awards as his family agency burgeoned. Clyde was most remembered for his “unusual” advertising skills sometimes using his car as a mobile billboard to read, “Clyde Is On Your Side”. Clyde was blessed with abiding friends, Mark Cottings and George Lewis, who were constant companions and wise daily luncheon advisers throughout these years.

At age 65, Clyde sold his agency and retired in Plano, Texas to be with three of his grandchildren. Many a Saturday, hours were set aside to build houses for play, made from cardboard boxes and paint. He played chess and dominoes, shot off rockets in the park, played basketball, shopped at pet stores, always returning surreptitiously with more fish, another rabbit, a new guinea pig or lovebirds, and play-act stories so convincingly, he would follow up the story by mailing his young granddaughter notes penned by the character last played.

Clyde was known best for his sense of humor and his ability to succinctly pray aloud, always with a crack in his voice. His love of music often left him spellbound as he listened to Rachmaninoff and the Jazz Greats-tears would run down his cheeks. He was equally moved by great oratory and placed his church membership to where he could both serve and learn.

After losing his sight at age 76, Clyde became a Crisis Hotline Volunteer in the evenings using his home office and headset to listen to those who needed help. He remained active as an elected deacon at Prairie Creek Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, and daily listened by way of radio or tapes long into the night as a student of scripture, theology, and literature.

Clyde will be greatly missed.

His favorite poem closes, “Let us then be up and doing, with a heart for any fate, still achieving, still pursuing, learn to labor and to wait.”

Along with his wife, Phyllis Boyd, Clyde is also survived by his son, Don Boyd and grandson Danny, Phil Boyd, Vicky Chu and grandchildren Katie, Zach, and Josh Chu.

There will be a private memorial service to celebrate Clyde’s life at the DFW National Cemetery in Dallas, Texas.