Patricia Ann Boywid

She is survived by her son Edward T. Boywid, Jr., wife Deborah, granddaughter Tracey, husband Ben Lytle; her daughter Elizabeth Long, husband Bob, grandson Matthew, wife Jessica, great-grandson Aidan, great-granddaughter Hailey; granddaughter Liz, husband John Kreitzman, great-grandson Grey; and her son William M. Boywid, Sr., wife Sarah, grandson William, Jr., wife Elizabeth, great-granddaughters Bambi and Dauphine; grandson Christopher, wife Laura, great-grandsons Odin and Dexter; and granddaughter Katie, husband Rick Branson. She is also survived by her brother Eddie Hardwick.

Patsy was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Little Flower Primary School and St. Agnes Academy. She attended Siena College before marrying the love of her life, Edward T. (Ed) Boywid, Sr., a Tennessee Volunteer, who after receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1954 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1956, married Patsy and took her on a 29 year adventure traveling the globe courtesy of the United States Navy. As a military spouse, Patsy overcame many challenges while her husband was away at training, at sea or deployed on special assignment, and still managed to raise three children to adulthood. As her husband rose through the ranks, Patsy’s responsibilities as a Navy spouse also grew to the point of her becoming the mentor to the young spouses of the junior officers who worked for her husband at the Law Center at Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines. It was here she forged lasting friendships that continued long after active duty and into retirement and manifested in many reunions over the years hosted by members of the group all over the United States. While stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, she volunteered her time as the President of the Boutiki Gift Shop, the proceeds of which went to Military Wives Club activities that directly supported the troops. After 29 years as the wife of a Navy Judge Advocate involving 14 moves, three children and six grandchildren, Patsy and Ed retired in Pensacola, Florida, where they spent another 20 years as members of the local community. While in Pensacola, Patsy served as Vice President and then President of the Oleander Garden Club, a garden club for spouses of active duty, retired or deceased military officers that supported the military community by decorating Christmas trees for the Naval Hospital; worked with the “Adopt-a-Tree” program to develop, plant and maintain the Desert Storm Memorial Garden on Naval Air Station Pensacola; and participated in many community activities from Red Cross volunteering to Pensacola Symphony, Art Guild, school and church functions, as well as Flower Shows and youth activities. Patsy also participated on a Pensacola Mardi Gras Krewe, but by far her most rewarding activity was the countless hours she worked as a Red Cross Volunteer at the Pensacola Naval Hospital, where she interacted with active duty members, retirees and family members to direct them to their various appointments and answer their questions about the hospital.

Despite her many travels and extensive volunteer work in the community, Patsy was a very private person whose main focus was her family. Fiercely devoted to her husband and children, she was the “heart of the home” providing the comforts and inspiration necessary for her family to shine. She was her family’s biggest cheerleader and spent countless hours traveling to or watching her kids participate in Little League baseball games, swim meets, wrestling matches and tennis tournaments, just to name a few. She flew out to see every grandchild when they were born and stayed on to help the family get settled with their newborn. One of her greatest joys in life was to cook breakfast for her grandchildren when they visited her in Pensacola. She was a Catholic through and through and a proponent of the power of prayer, and her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have all benefited from her faith in God and her requests for intercessions on their behalf. Her like may never be seen again. She will be sorely missed.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 11:00 am at Saint Ann Catholic Church, 6529 Stage Road, Bartlett, Tennessee. A Celebration of Life Reception will follow the mass from 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm at Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, 3700 North Germantown Parkway, Bartlett, Tennessee. There will be a private burial at West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Alzheimer’s Association (800-272-3900), https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate or American Red Cross.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralGermantownParkway.com for the Boywid family.