Elizabeth J. Boyce

In 1963 the Boyce family was transferred to Atlanta where Elizabeth grew up. She attended Christ the King School and later transferred to the Lovett School. She spoke often about Lovett and the way the curriculum, her dear friends and her teachers enriched her young life. Elizabeth sang in the choral group, was News Editor of the school newspaper and President of the Senior Class. She went on to attend Vanderbilt University and graduated in 1980 with degrees in English Literature and Political Science. Elizabeth was a voracious reader and writer and went on to create prose, poetry and newspaper articles which were frequently published in USA Today International, The Herald Tribune, The New York Times and countless business journals. She loved sports and was an avid tennis player, runner, swimmer, skier, and later in life a competitive ballroom dancer.

Elizabeth worked for the Coca-Cola company for 11 years in Atlanta and Paris, France where she held management positions in advertising, marketing, human resources and communications. She then went on to serve as IBM's EMEA Director of Communications. Whilst living in Paris Elizabeth served as a guest lecturer at HEC Business School and the London Business School. In 1996 she launched Boyce & Associates Management Counsel, a consulting firm assisting global corporations with leadership and cross cultural challenges.

Paris remained her base for 12 years and she loved all things French and was fluent in the language. She rose before dawn each day, donned a pair of nikes and ran across the bridges of Paris, always awe-struck by the special light and majesty of her adopted city. Over her long career Elizabeth worked in more than 34 countries. Her family and friends will remember the joy with which Elizabeth welcomed them to her home in Paris and led them to travel, discover and appreciate Europe and its many cultures.

The Atlanta and Paris communities she became part of will no doubt remember Elizabeth as a kind and generous person whose greatest joy in life came from quietly giving and helping every person she knew to realize and cultivate their own uniqueness and worth in the world. She created and directed the Betty B Boyce Giving Fund which supported many charities that her mother held dear. She served on many boards including the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia, the United Way and the Special Olympics. Elizabeth also supported Habitat for Humanity continuing the tradition that her Dad and Mom began years earlier.

Elizabeth was a member of The Holy Spirit Catholic Church and was very grateful for the priests, deacons, staff and volunteers who served the church with joy, dedication and a loving spirit. As a member of the Deo Gratias Giving Society of the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia Elizabeth established a path for continuing to contribute to Holy Spirit parish for years to come creating three endowments to honor her Mom and Dad in perpetuity. Two for the Holy Spirit prep High School and one for Holy Spirit Church. She also cared deeply for her adopted village in Ethiopia and the Hispanic community of Atlanta.

Elizabeth is survived by her loving husband David Beaton of London, England, his children Jennifer and James, grandchildren Freya, Delci, Jonas and Lucas and sister-in-law Linda. Also her loyal network of Coca-Cola friends around the world, her wonderful St. Louis Sabo family, her dear friend and former husband Sven Rost of Oslo, Norway, her brothers Doug and Pete, 15 nieces and nephews and their families.

Elizabeth's funeral mass will be celebrated at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Northside Drive in Atlanta on the Thursday, May 9th at 1pm and a reception will follow the funeral at the Church in the McDonough Hall. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you contribute to, or volunteer for a day at, your local food bank.