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Kenneth William Boyd

Posted 2025-06-12 by mhenderson
Published in The Miner on June 11, 2025 -
Kingman, Arizona -

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kenneth William
Boyd, 85, who was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, and
friend. He departed this life on June 5, 2025, of heart disease.

He is survived by his wife, Susan Boyd, of Kingman, and their daughters
Cynthia (Kevin) O’Donnell and Valerie (Mike) Taylor and four beloved
grandchildren: Deanna, Liam, Evan, and Derek. He is also survived by an
extended family of cousins.

Kenneth (Ken) William Boyd, the only child of Frank and Beatrice
(Ahlvers) Boyd, was born on Nov. 4, 1939, in Kingman, Arizona. He often
went by the nicknames Ken or Kenny. He grew up in the small town of
Peach Springs, Arizona, where his mom and dad operated the Peach Springs
Auto Court, which included a motel, a Mobile Oil gas station, and the
family home. He attended elementary school in Peach Springs but was
bused into Kingman for high school. In 1958, he graduated from Mohave
County Union High School (now Lee Williams High School). After high
school he attended college at Arizona State University (ASU) and
Northern Arizona University (NAU), majoring in accounting. Upon leaving
college, he served with the Army National Guard until he was honorably
discharged in 1969.

Ken returned to Kingman to work as a Deputy County Assessor after
completing his initial six-month National Guard service. It wasn’t until
after returning to Kingman that fate had him cross paths with a fellow
former high school classmate, Susan Woodhouse. The two dated for three
years before marrying on Jan. 28, 1967, with the ceremony and reception
taking place in the historic BPOE building downtown.

Before his marriage to Susan, Ken purchased his first business, a Union
Oil Service Station in Twenty-nine Palms, California. In the first years
of their marriage, they called Twenty-nine Palms their home, operating
their service station and expanding their business portfolio to include
a domestic water distributing business. It was while living in Twenty-
nine Palms that their first daughter, Cynthia, was born.

After Ken’s father passed away, Ken and Susan purchased the Mobile Oil
Bulk Plant from his mother and moved the family back to Kingman. Three
years later, they welcomed their second daughter, Valerie.

Community service and education were important to Ken. He was a lifetime
member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), and for
many years, he was an active member of the Kiwanis Club, organizing and
participating in fundraisers and service projects for children and the
community at large. He served on the school board for Kingman Elementary
School District No. 4 (KESD No. 4) (now a part of Kingman Unified School
District No. 20) from 1978 to 1986. During his service on the school
board, he was elected President where he oversaw the completion of
Hualapai Elementary School, which opened in the Fall of 1982. After his
service on the KESD No. 4 board, Ken was elected to serve as a board
member for Mohave Union High School District No. 30 (MUHSD No. 30) (now
a part of Kingman Unified School District No. 20), where he served for
two years.

Ken loved the sport of baseball. He played on his high school baseball
team and later for the Kiwanis Club. Although he had been a devoted fan
of the New York Yankees his entire life, it didn’t stop him from trying
out for the Baltimore Orioles when he was 17. The scouts were impressed,
but he was too young, so they encouraged him to come back when he was
18. However, after graduating high school, he decided instead to go to
college.

Ken also loved to hunt, play golf, bowl in various leagues, camp with
his family, and take the ski boat out onto the Colorado River and
various lakes around Arizona.

Ken was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, a good son,
and a loyal and dependable friend to many.

An Elk’s Graveside Memorial Service will be held at Mountain View
Cemetery, Kingman, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 11 a.m. Following the
graveside service, an Elk’s Memorial Service and Celebration of Life
will be hosted by Elks Lodge #468 at 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.,
respectively. Sutton Memorial Funeral Home is coordinating the funeral
arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Kingman Elks Lodge #468,
Kingman Unified School District No. 20, the Kiwanis International or the
American Heart Association.



See Also: Find A Grave




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