Maureen Louise Boyd

Maureen Louise Boyd, since the day she was born on Halloween of 1939 in Detroit, MI, loved to say “yes.” She was generous, caring, full of laughter and daring. She had great rollicking fun growing up with siblings Janet, Tom, Karen and Gary. Her parents, Henry and Aileen Thoresen, loved to throw parties, play games and enjoy life. Maureen’s apple did not fall far from Henry and Aileen’s tree.

As a freshman at Redford high, her cousin Jack Ruen introduced her to his girlfriend’s brother, Dave Boyd and the stage was set; but first, adventure. After graduating from Redford High, she worked with Janet on the S.S. South American, sailing across the Great Lakes. She used the money she saved to go on a European adventure in 1959 where she both got a date with a Buckingham Palace Guard who broke protocol to speak with this cute Detroiter, and hitchhiked into East Germany nearly setting off a diplomatic crisis. Between these adventures, she also visited her father’s family farm in Norway. Coming home to Detroit from her adventures, she was reacquainted with Dave Boyd. They found that attending midnight mass together was a great way to extend dates, and after marrying in August of 1962 at Holy Name church in Birmingham and having a reception in Henry and Aileen’s backyard, they continued to be lifelong church goers and best friends.

After marriage, she graduated from Western Michigan University with a teaching degree, which she used to educate children across Michigan and Ohio in both the Catholic and public-school systems. She knew how to balance comedy while making an impact in the classroom.  She loved to tell the story of how after a boy in one of her classes intentionally and loudly broke wind and without missing a beat she said, “just think girls, one day you might get to marry him!” A lesser-known story from her teaching career involved the valedictorian of the high school. During her graduation speech, this young woman credited Maureen with showing her how to be a student with integrity, thanks to how Maureen handled a case of the whole class cheating back in the 9th grade. Her everlasting connection to the beatitudes was exemplified by her love of teaching the children of migrant laborers in Kent County Michigan, and piloting outdoor education curriculums for students from the inner city of Grand Rapids.  Another example of Maureen’s bold can-do spirit-- in 1990, she earned a Michigan Builder’s License and served as the general contractor on the house she and Dave built in Marshall, Michigan.

Maureen raised four of her own children, Susan, DJ (Shannon), Chris (Yvonne), and Dan (McKenzie) and always brought love, laughter, and a sense of adventure to their days. She was always so proud of her children and happy to speak of their many accomplishments and interests.  Maureen and Dave grew their family life by hosting exchange students with whom she and Dave maintained lifelong connections. One of her exchange students recently wrote, “ In my life she has always been a person to refer to in a moment of difficulty, or to speak to and have a relaxing, fun moment, always showing the same feeling and same care. She is somebody who in my life has been a “master” or a “teacher” of life .”  She also grew her family by supporting young people who had aged out of the foster care system. She loved her “new” kids Olatunji and Kinita very much. She enjoyed leading rambunctious rounds of charades and catchphrase, and singing carols at Christmas and songs around summer bonfires.  She organized trips up north, out west, or to the lake with family and friends.  Her sister Janet offered wise advice about Maureen once: “Maureen isn’t always on time, but boy is it worth the wait for all the fun you’ll have when she gets there.”

Grammy loved to spend time with her eight grandchildren; Michael and Joseph Maller; Andy, Mary, Brendan, and Elizabeth Boyd; and Eliana and Diego Boyd. Maureen would, at the merest hint, say yes to babysit or have the kids over for days at a time.  Her grandkids especially remember the imaginative stories she would tell them and the canoe trips on rivers and lakes.

Her love of the natural world was expressed later in life in her garden and training her dog, Bounder.  She reached Master Gardener status in Ohio and participated in local garden tours at her home in Highland, MI. She was a dedicated member of the Holy Spirit parish in Highland, MI and a member of the Right to Life group there.

Between her birth on Halloween of 1939 and her death on Labor Day, September 5th of 2022, she worked hard and had a lot of fun.  She will be sorely missed by all those who she welcomed into her life, and we take comfort knowing that we will be with her again.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, September 9, 2022 at 11am, instate at 10am at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 133 Orchard Drive, Northville. Rev. Father Denis Theroux will officiate the service. Mass will be live streamed at www.olvnorthville.org

A committal prayer service will be held Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 11am at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, 25800 W. 10 Mile Road, Southfield. Please see the cemetery guide upon arrival at Holy Sepulchre. Memorial contributions can be made to the Park West Foundation , attn: Saba Gebrai, 29621 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield, MI 48034.