William Boyd

William Wallace "Bill" Boyd, 75, of Mount Hope, WV died on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley, WV. Born August 10, 1931 at Wayside, WV he was the son of the late Pat and Hattie Allen Boyd. Bill graduated from Talcott High School in 1950. He served his country in the US Army Medical Service in Korea from 1952 to 1955. His duties performed were Medical Platoon Sgt. with the 65th Infantry 3rd Battallion Aid Station in Chorwan Valley, Korea. Mr. Bennett was a member of the Kilsyth Free Will Baptist Church were he served for many years as Sunday school Superintendent and as a Deacon. He belonged to the Brotherhood of Railway Signalman, Local 89 having begun his career with the Chessie System in 1951 at Losantville, Indiana and worked until 1991 when he retired from CSX Transportation with 40 years service. The Boyd family's railroad ties go back to the last century when the C&O purchased a right-of-way from the family for the construction of Little Bend Tunnel near Talcott. Bill's grandfather, father, several uncles and his son continued the tradition with a combined total of over 300 years of railroading. He was a member of the Kate Carpenter Muzzleloaders. A life membership was awarded him by the Mountaineer Flintlock Rifles, Inc. in 1995. He was the WV Flintlock Rifle Champion for 10 years, an avid hunter and craftsman of flintlock rifles. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Joann Dillon Boyd; daughter, Pamela Jean Souk and husband, Eddie of Mount Hope; son, William Wallace Boyd, Jr. and wife, Barbara of Mount Hope; two sisters, Betty Thompson and husband, Leonard of St. Albans and Barbara Jane Boyd of St. Albans; three grandsons, Scott Souk, Matthew Boyd and Andrew Boyd. He is also survived by one niece, three nephews, a host of friends and his trusted dog, Gussy. Visitation will be held at Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope on Friday, September 22, 2006, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. Services will be on Friday, September 22, 2006 at 12:00 P.M. at Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope with Revs. Jay Hicks, Carl Burrows, Orville Setliff and Bill Bennett officiating. Burial will be at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Prosperity WV Scott Souk, Matthew Boyd, Andrew Boyd, Joe Criss, Mike Cox, Willie Perkins, Billy Joe Johnson and Letcher Humphries will serve as pallbearers.