Colonel Reese L. Boyd

On February 3, 2022, Colonel Reese L. Boyd (Ret.) transitioned into rest surrounded by family at the VA Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He was born on July 28, 1938, to Lannie Gaddy and James Lawrence Calhoun in Mullins, South Carolina. He spent his early years in Mullins before migrating north to Baltimore in the late 1940s. The homes he resided in at 1217 Caroline Street and 1212 Potomac Street with his mother, brother Mitchell, and stepfather Hardie Gaddy are permanently etched as Boyd family landmarks.

He graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in 1956 and then went to Morgan State College (now Morgan State University). He graduated from Morgan State College in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science Degree and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the US Army’s Military Police Corps. He earned a Master of Science Degree at the American University, Washington, DC, in 1975. He graduated from both the Command and General Staff College in 1976 and the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, in 1977.

A decorated veteran, Reese dedicated his life to serving his country. Across 30 years of distinguished military service, he rose to Colonel (O6) in the US Army through significant military assignments in Europe and the United States. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, five Meritorious Service Achievement medals, two Army Commendation Medals, and the Special Royal Thai Supreme Badge Decoration from the Republic of Thailand. During his military career, Reese was the designated Inspector General for the Department of the Army from 1980 to 1983 and managed Fort Meade’s Crime Prevention Program, which was recognized in 1988 and 1989 by the Governor of Maryland as one of the best in the state. He also coordinated with the US Secret Service and supervised Military law enforcement for two presidential visits. This included President Richard Nixon’s 1971 visit to Fort Detrick, Maryland, and President Bill Clinton’s 1997 visit to Morgan State University. Following four years as Provost Marshal of Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland, he retired from the US Army in 1990.

Never one to rest, Reese then transitioned into his second career as the Director of Police and Public Safety at Morgan State University, where he served for the next 11 years. In 1999 he was inducted into the Knights of Columbus. In addition, he was a member of the Morgan State University ROTC Advisory Counsel, a Charter member of the World War II National Monument Association, a member of the Howard County Police Foundation Board, and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In 2000, Morgan State University’s Police Department received its tenth consecutive award (all under Reese’s tenure) from the Governor of Maryland for outstanding crime prevention programs in Maryland. He also served as the University’s Risk Management Coordinator for three years before retiring in February 2004. Other notable honors include special citations from three US Presidents and four citations from the Governor of Maryland.

Notwithstanding these notable accomplishments, if you asked Reese what he valued the most, he would say “family.” Reese met the love of his life, Joyce Smith, also from Mullins, South Carolina, in 1960 and married her in 1962. He was an incredibly dedicated husband for almost 60 years. Their son Derek was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and four and half years later, daughter Stacey was born in Ft Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. Reese was a devoted father and enduring role model to his children.

Reese was an incredibly strong and resilient man. He was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in 1992 and was told to go ahead and enjoy the approximately three years of life the doctors stated that he had left. Reese then went on to beat leukemia into remission and enjoyed approximately 30 years of life after the original dire diagnosis.

And enjoy his life he did. Reese really enjoyed living and was very social. He loved music and spending time with his family. His personality would light up any room he entered, and he could tear it up on the dance floor. As his daughter’s friends proclaimed at a father/daughter dance during her teenage years, “he is so cool!”. In sports, he excelled in many areas. Racquetball, bowling and softball were all sports in which he had particular prowess. He was also quite the card shark, winning countless hands in poker, pinochle, and bid whist.

Reese was a devoted husband, father, son, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. As the quintessential military family, Reese, Joyce, Derek, and Stacey moved every couple of years, and this transient lifestyle led to incredible family bonding. As they moved from place to place and country to country, the only constant was the four of them. Reese’s love of family extended beyond his immediate family as he was very close with the entire Boyd, Dixon, Witherspoon, Plowden extended families.

Reese was preceded in death by his mother, Lannie Gaddie, stepfather Hardie Gaddy, father James Calhoun, and brother Mitchell. Cherishing his memory are his loving wife of 59 years, Joyce Boyd, son Derek Boyd (Nasrin), daughter Stacey Lee (Brian), grandchildren – Ariana, Armand, Devin, and Flannery, sister in law Doris Smith, and many other nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A visitation for Reese will be held Monday, February 21, 2022 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at 4325 - Witzke Funeral Homes Inc., 5555, TWIN KNOLLS ROAD, COLUMBIA, MD 21045. A visitation will occur Monday, February 21, 2022 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, 5555, TWIN KNOLLS ROAD, COLUMBIA, MD 21045. A funeral service will occur Tuesday, February 22, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, at Wilde Lake, 10431 Twin Rivers Rd., Columbia, MD 21044.

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