Kevin Boyd

Born in Victoria, British Columbia to Jim and Angela Boyd, Kevin, along with his younger brother Colin (Jenny), enjoyed a childhood filled with the love and adventures of a Navy family which took them to Halifax, Kingston, Ottawa and back to Halifax. He cherished childhood summers spent with extended family, especially his special aunties, uncles and adoring grandparents, in Prince Edward Island. This is where he cultivated a deep appreciation for family, board games and the beauty of nature.

After high school his travels expanded with Katimavik work programs in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. He spent summers with the Army reserve, and took solo trips to Europe and the Middle East. He enjoyed a year teaching English in Prague. During this period, he found the time to attend and graduate from Saint Mary’s University with a major in history.

Kevin then joined the Canadian Pacific steel rail gang repairing track. He swung a hammer during the day and ran a literacy program in the evening with Frontier College. He worked his way across Canada and ended up in Edmonton where his childhood friend Geoff was residing. He decided to stay and, at the University of Alberta, he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy. He made many good friends during this time. It was also during this degree program that he was told about a girl he should meet. After two years, and several failed attempts by friends at arranging a meet-up, Kevin and Denise were paired due to an alphabetical coincidence. They were assigned to be partners in a rehabilitation medicine final year project. A romance blossomed and in 1999 they were married in Watrous, SK. The wedding was “the BEST” and both his brother Colin and his future sister in-law Allison (Clayton) Malinski were in the wedding party. They celebrated after the wedding in the beautiful backyard of his loving in-laws Gary and Carol Brandt.

Kevin's dedication to his physical therapy profession was unparalleled. He attended advanced continuing education courses in orthopedic rehabilitation and sports medicine and became a mentor to many students and co-workers over the years. In his humble way, he thrived on teaching others and took pride in the development of student resources and orthopedic courses. Kevin always strove to make others he encountered in daily life – patients and coworkers – feel better. Regardless of how he was feeling he would say he was never better or 100%! He would create games (fitness challenges, hide the word of the day in your charting or exchanges of trivia) to make the doldrums of working days pass.

Kevin took great pleasure in his family. He adored his wife, Denise, and most especially their three children, Samuel, Julia and Lucas. His care for them was evident in his desire to provide for them and his never-failing commitment as support crew as he referred to it: driving to lessons, washing dishes, calming nerves before competitions, finding food between events and being a cheerleader for every concert, performance and even school assignments. He loved the three so much and was so proud how they were starting lives of their own, each listening to their own gifts in life. He believed his children were his greatest gift from God.

Kevin had an introverted personality, rarely sharing his inner truths or concerns. He found solace in listening to music and reading scripture. He took great joy in the outdoors, indulging in biking, hiking, and walking the family dog. He nurtured lifelong interests in baseball facts, war games, and history, which he avidly pursued from childhood into adulthood. Kevin liked to ponder many topics and would often be found enjoying a coffee or a drink with an open book accompanied by the melodies of jazz music.

Kevin died suddenly in the early morning hours on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2024. After a brief illness, he was diagnosed with amyloidosis and ultimately multiple myeloma. He passed away just 12 days after his 56th birthday.

Kevin has left a lasting imprint on all of our lives.

He is now truly 100%.

May he rest in peace in Heaven and know he was deeply loved on earth.