Kenneth Lonnie Boyd

A golden heart stopped beating; a warrior is laid to rest.

Kenneth Lonnie Boyd departed this earthly life on Oct. 16, 2018, to joyously reunite with his son, Aaron, in Heaven.

Ken was born on Sept. 25, 1948, in New York, NY, to Pinckney and Thelma Boyd. His sisters, Miriam and Cynthia (Majisa) joined the family when Ken was 3 and 12, respectively.

Ken attended school in New York and, upon completing his schooling, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1966 and was deployed to Vietnam. Upon his return from Vietnam, he was stationed at air bases at Elmendorf in Alaska and then Billings.

Upon his honorable discharge from the service in 1970, Ken married his first wife, Sandy.  They divorced in 1972.

Ken enrolled in college at Eastern Montana College (now MSU-B), working summers in construction jobs and turn arounds at the refineries, until he achieved his bachelor's degree in June 1982.

In November of 1982, Ken was hired as a social worker and then Foster Resource Specialist with the Department of Family Services, Child Protective Division, and spent the next 31 years passionately advocating for foster children and foster and adoptive families. Many families credit Ken for achievement of their dream to adopt children and create their family. Ken was a fierce champion in protecting "his" kids and would stand up to judges, attorneys and even colleagues when he felt the best interests and welfare of the children were not being made a priority.

Ken met his second wife, Nadine, through mutual friends in 1977 and they married in September 1983. They recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary, and were so blessed to be able to attend their son Luke's wedding to his beautiful bride Kate on Oct. 13.

Ken and Nadine were greatly blessed when their sons were born: Aaron Jesse in November 1984, Luke Jarad in April, 1988, and Chase Jordan in March, 1993. Tragically, Aaron was taken from us in death from a recessive genetic kidney in November, 1989.

Although Ken suffered serious health issues after he retired in December 2013 and had to give up so many of the hobbies he loved: fly-fishing, hunting and racquetball, he continued to take a keen interest in those sports and loved to catch up with his friends, with their latest fish story or be able to watch racquetball matches.

Ken loved to visit and make new friends. His friends all agree no matter where you went, whether it was hiking into Pebble Creek or Slough Creek in Yellowstone Park or going to Disneyland, you were very likely to run into another friend of Ken's. Although Ken made (and acquired) new friends easily, he was fiercely loyal to family and friends, many of whom he considered family. John B, John Y, Dave, Todd, Josh and Lisa, Kery and Tristan, Joan and Dennis, June, his friends from the BAC and YMCA, "Ken's Yellowstone Fishing Friends" and so many others: he loved you deeply and truly appreciated you always including him for lunches, coffee and fishing and hunting trips (or stories).

Ken is survived by his wife, Nadine and sons Luke (Kate) and Chase, and many friends and extended family.

Ken, you are my true love, my best friend, my rock, my champion, and the compass and heart of our family. We are struggling to imagine a world without your big heart, loyalty, humor and love. Go with God, my fierce warrior with such a gentle heart. We will always love you and keep you in our hearts until we can be together again.

Please join us in a celebration of Ken's life and sharing of memories at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at American Lutheran Church, 5 Lewis Ave., Billings.