Douglas Boyd

Published 1:50 pm Tuesday, December 31, 2024

July 22, 1945 – December 23, 2024

Douglas Alan Boyd, age 79 years of Niles, Michigan; husband, uncle, Godfather, friend, electrician, honorable veteran, and avid traveler, died peacefully Monday evening, December 23, 2024 with his wife at his side at North Woods Village in Mishawaka, Indiana following an extended illness. His family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care provided by the staff at North Woods – especially Eli and Michelle – and the staff of Heart-to-Heart Hospice.

He was born on July 22, 1945 in South Bend, Indiana to Lowell D. and Micleta (Raderstorf) Boyd, and was raised in Niles, attending Saint Mary Catholic School. Lowell owned and operated Boyd Electric Service, and contracted commercial projects for area school districts during the summer break, and allowed them to travel to warmer climates in the winter. Doug made friends in these southern communities, and was able to tour Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California before it opened, and one of those friends was a son of professional jockey Billy Shoemaker. He was graduated from Niles High School, and earned an associate’s degree from the Howard W. Sams Technical Institute in Indianapolis (now ITT Educational Services), but he soon enlisted into the United States Army. He served in the 3rd Battalion Transportation Brigade, specializing in amphibious vehicles, was honorably discharged, and completed his obligation in the Reserves.

Doug returned to Niles, and returned to Boyd Electric, serving with his father until purchasing the business. He continued to specialize in educational facilities, including the first buildings at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac; eventually changing focus to commercial and industrial installations before closing the business in 2003. He assisted his wife, Michele at her business, Signal Travel, escorting tours across the United States and around the world. Even when away from work, he enjoyed traveling by motorcycle – especially the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire – and by snowmobile in the Upper Peninsula. He owned a series of boats on Lake Michigan with electrical names such as “Kon-Fused” and “Circuit Breaker”, and he enjoyed fishing and hunting upland game in the far-north Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan’s UP.

He had a great sense of humor, a quick wit, and enjoyed playing jokes on those around him. Even after declining health reduced his activities, friends came around weekly to play cards – although no longer smoking cigars – and became such a fixture at North Woods that the staff had a game table ready for “The Boys” which included George Wehrle and Paul Taylor.

On August 13, 1966 at Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles he married the former Michele Lynn Zellers with whom he celebrated the remarkable Fifty-eighth Anniversary of their marriage, many of those years spent traveling together, even as recently as 2017 when they toured Europe by riverboat.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and by a brother, Jack Boyd, a sister, Betty Boyd Wittenkeller, and a nephew, David Boyd.

Surviving family includes his wife, Michele Boyd; a niece, Ann Wittenkeller, and nephews, Steve Wittenkeller, Rob Wittenkeller, Daniel Boyd, Joseph Boyd, and George Boyd; several great and great-great nieces and nephews; Michele and Doug’s God-daughter, Madison C. Bowers; their special friend, Erin Marie Butler; Michele’s mother, Betty Zellers; and a great circle of wonderful friends.

The family of Doug Boyd will receive relatives and friends to share memories and celebrate his life on Sunday, January 12, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Orchard Hills Country Club, 2841 Niles-Buchanan Road, Buchanan, Michigan. Committal Rites will be private on December 30, 2024 at the Pine Lake Cemetery in La Porte, Indiana, and will conclude with the Veteran’s Flag Presentation and “Taps” by the United States Army Honor Guard.

Contributions in memory of Doug Boyd my be made to two colleges for which he was proud to provide electrical installations: Southwestern Michigan College, 58900 Cherry Grove Road, Dowagiac, Michigan 49047, https://www.swmich.edu/; or Lake Michigan College, 2755 East Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022, https://www.lakemichigancollege.edu/. Doug believed strongly that travel elevates people to the better good, and to honor this interest, contributions may be made to Travel Elevates, a non-profit foundation at 390 North Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 3200, El Segundo, California 90245, https://www.travelelevates.org/. Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Memories and condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Doug and Michele shared a wedding anniversary card with a sentiment that bears tribute to his life, including: “It’s been an amazing journey to this place where we are. We started out with . . . hopes and dreams. Along the way we met our share of obstacles, but with love as our guide, we’ve always enjoyed the adventure. And now, here we are, so many miles and memories later . . . deeper in love, and stronger for the journey.”