He was raised in the farming and ranching town of Monticello Utah. He joined the Air Force at 17 years old in 1957, serving overseas in Spain as a Military Policeman. His brother Doug was tragically killed in a car accident while Boyd was serving.
Upon his return to the US in 1961, he met his sister Susan’s best friend Georgia Nell Dalton, who became the love of his life. Georgia and Boyd were married on February 3, 1962 at Georgia’s family home in Monticello, Utah. They were later sealed for time and all eternity in the LDS Provo City Center Temple on February 3, 2018.
Boyd was a lifelong learner, earning his G.E.D. for high school while serving in the Air Force, and beginning college level courses. He worked in a variety of careers while supporting his young family, from ranch hand to grocery store clerk to semi-truck driver. Boyd attended college at Stevens-Henagar Business school, at Utah Valley College, and eventually at Utah State University in Logan Utah where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Welding Engineering in 1971, while the father of 4 children, with one on the way.
Boyd and Georgia were wonderful parents to their 5 children – Angela, Alan, Dalton, Rachel, and Marty. Upon Boyd’s graduation from USU, he began his engineering career, working for Williams Brothers Engineering out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was assigned to build pumping stations up and down the Alaska Oil Pipeline in the Northern US. Boyd settled his family on 5 acres of land between Sand Springs and Sapulpa, Oklahoma. He built a 3 bedroom home for his family, doing much of the work himself.
Boyd traveled while working and the family vacationed all over the Western US, often visiting family in Utah and Missouri. Boyd loved visiting the sights and having fun with his children every weekend, and he loved rebuilding and restoring old cars with his sons. Many a road trip was undertaken with the entire family loaded into the Mercury station wagon.
After the economy changed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, where the oil and steel industries collapsed, Boyd changed careers, becoming an elevator and escalator repairman, moving the family to Denver, Colorado and then Livermore, California. After a few years in California, high rises were not being built as often making the elevator industry less stable, so Boyd switched back to Engineering and became a building inspector. In order to enhance his career, he returned to school and earned several certificates and associates degrees in Electrical Engineering, Plumbing, Masonry and Concrete. He joined the Operating Engineers union and at Consolidated Engineering was a Special Inspector. This job again sent him all over the country. His youngest children, Rachel and Marty, went to several high schools in several states as he worked. Boyd and Georgia spent a good deal of this time traveling to jobs all over California, spending 5 years in a travel trailer together after all the kids were on their own.
Boyd and Georgia eventually retired to Utah, living in Fountain Green and then made their way back to Monticello where Boyd and Jimmie Forrest built a log cabin on family land. Boyd was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Iona Rasmussen, his brother Doug, and his sister Pamela Despain, who died on May 5, 2018. Boyd is survived by his wife Georgia. Boyd and Georgia were sealed for time and all eternity in the Provo City Center Temple on their 56th wedding anniversary, February 3, 2018. Boyd is survived by his 5 children, 17 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Boyd’s fun loving nature and infectious humor will be greatly missed.
Surviving Relatives:
Wife – Georgia Nell Dalton
Children – Angela Kay Gardner, Alan Ray Rasmussen, Dalton Guy Rasmussen, Rachel Anne Mortensen, and Martin Roy Rasmussen.
Siblings – Roger Rasmussen, Susan Abston, Rex Rasmussen, and Debbie Rigby.
Preceded in Death by:
Brother – Doug Rasmussen, Sister – Pamela Despain, Mother – Iona Rose Losser Rasmussen, Father – Leland Ray Rasmussen
Services will be on May 25, 2018 at 2:00 pm at Valley View Funeral Home at 4335 West 4100 South, West Valley City, UT 84120. Family viewing at 1 pm.
Interment will be held at the Verger Dalton Family Cemetary outside of Monticello Utah on Saturday May 26th at 3:30 p.m.
PALLBEARERS
Alan RasmussenPallbearer
Chris Almy-GardnerPallbearer
Dalton RasmussenPallbearer
Chad TracyPallbearer
Marty RasmussenPallbearer
Charlie TracyPallbearer
Dennis GardnerPallbearer
Chesley TracyPallbearer
Donovan MortensenHonorary Pallbearer
Travis ForrestHonorary Pallbearer
Alec RasmussenHonorary Pallbearer
Joey GardnerHonorary Pallbearer
Kerry MortensenHonorary Pallbearer
Andrew GardnerHonorary Pallbearer
Troy ForrestHonorary Pallbearer
Benny GardnerHonorary Pallbearer
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