- Date Of Birth: June 14, 1918
- Date Of Death: June 13, 2015
- State: Florida
Gladys Allie Matilda Liddle Boyd was born to Clara and Wendell Liddle in Mount Carmel, Illinois, on June 14, 1918, and passed peacefully, just shy of 97 years later, on June 13, 2015, in Tallahassee, Florida.
Gladys graduated Mt. Carmel High School in 1936. She wanted to attend college, but times were hard and there was no money. Undaunted, she opened her own beauty shop at the age of 18, with money she borrowed from her grandmother. She is mentioned in an upcoming book on Mt. Carmel as the owner of the beauty shop and as the “best dancer” in Mt. Carmel, and many close friends and family remain there. After five very successful years, she sold the business, paid her grandmother back, and headed off to attend the University of Illinois. She received her degree in occupational therapy.
Her first job was at Southwestern State Hospital in Marion, Virginia, where she met the newly-hired young psychologist, Foster Boyd. Sparks flew, and they were married on June 17, 1949. Shortly after, they moved to Baltimore, Maryland, when Foster accepted a position as psychologist at the Maryland Training School for delinquent children. They had two children, Susan and Scott, and Gladys gave up all career aspirations to devote full-time attention to being a wonderful wife and mother. The family moved frequently, following Foster’s career, to locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Florida, where Gladys was always active in the home, at work, and in her community. She served as a Cub Scout Den Leader, a teacher at Vacation Bible School, helping in family business ventures, and selling real estate. Through it all, she kept a spotless house, was an accomplished cook, had artwork on display at a local gallery, and won blue ribbons at the state fair for sewing. When Foster retired as Director of Children’s Services from the University Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, they returned to Tallahassee to be near their children. Gladys loved children and dogs, and her face would always light up at the appearance of either. She never lost her temper or raised her voice, but could be quite firm when she thought it necessary.
She had a strong sense of right and wrong, justice, and integrity. She admired hard work, would not tolerate dishonesty, and disliked anyone being unkind to children or animals. Gladys and Foster moved to Allegro (Heritage Oaks) in 2000, where Gladys loved to play bridge, take arts and craft classes, participate in exercise classes, attend ice cream socials, and dance with the residents’ dance troupe. She continued to volunteer as a reader at local schools and at the Woodmont Senior Community. Despite her slowly progressing dementia, she was always kind and patient, and always appreciative of her family and care givers. Gladys passed peacefully, surrounded by her family, and will always be remembered with the greatest love.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Foster Boyd; her parents, Clara and Wendell Liddle; and her brothers, Ivan and Don Liddle. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Claire Boyd; her son Foster Scott Boyd, his wife Lisa, and her grandchildren, Austin and Allie Boyd; her sister-in-law, Helen Boyd; and her nieces and nephews, Fred Boyd, Linda Boyd Reed, Phyllis Boyd Ryser, Cyndee Boyd Park, Jimmy Boyd, Linda Ruth Liddle Tibbitts, Kevin Liddle, Kim Liddle, and Tammy Liddle Zenthoefer.
