Obituary of Alan E. Boyd

Alan E. Boyd, 59, of West Yarmouth and formerly of Peabody, died Thursday morning at the Windsor Skilled Nursing Home, Yarmouth, following a courageous 2 ½ year battle with cancer. Born in Salem, he was the son of Eleanor (McDonald) Boyd of Peabody and the late Thomas A. Boyd Sr. He was raised and educated in Peabody, attended North Shore Community College and later graduated from Suffolk University with a BA degree in English. He has spent the last 30 years living on Cape Cod. Alan’s life is marked by a long and successful career in early education and child care, most notably at Cape Cod Child Development, where his thirty year tenure started as a classroom assistant and culminated as the center director for the Hyannis preschool program. Alan’s gentle nature and innate understanding of children made him a natural in the classroom. His calming demeanor and devotion to his job made a meaningful impact on the children and families that he served, particularly kids dealing with special needs or personal struggles. For so many children he served as a constant and positive male role model, and for family, friends, and staff, a compassionate and giving confidant. He will be dearly missed He is survived by three brothers, Thomas A. Boyd Jr. and his wife Eileen Stanley of Bolton, CT, Joseph Boyd of Peabody and Richard J. Boyd of Lynn, a sister-in-law, Jo Sullivan of Lynn, four nephews, Colin, Alexander, Peter, and Samuel Boyd, and he is also survived by his many friends and co-workers on Cape Cod. He was the brother of the late Donald R. Boyd. Following cremation, a Family Memorial Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2007 at 12:00 PM Noon at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody facility, to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be sent to Cape Cod Child Development, 83 Pearl St., Hyannis, MA 02601-3937.