James Leon Boyd Jr.

Rev. Boyd was born on November 19, 1925, in Montgomery, Alabama. After working as a welder on the shipyards in Mobile, Alabama, Rev. Boyd worked as a coffee salesman for Luzianne Coffee.

On September 2, 1949, he married Mary Joyce Park before being called into the ministry on March 18, 1951. On January 26, 1952, Rev. Boyd was ordained at Cloverdale Baptist Church, in Montgomery, Alabama.

He graduated from Howard College (now Samford University) in Birmingham, Alabama and then attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he earned both a Master of Divinity degree and Master Of Religious Education in Social Work degree.

Over the next 56 years, he ministered in many ways throughout the South. With Joyce by his side, he pastored several churches, giving great care to the needs of his congregations and communities. When he wasn’t pastoring a church, he was faithfully serving in Church Association positions using his strong administrative skills and deep convictions to serve the Lord in leadership capacities. He has often been mentioned as a mentor to other ministers of the Gospel.

He retired from the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2004, which was located in Atlanta, Georgia. Following his retirement and the loss of his wife, Leon returned to Louisville, Kentucky where he continued to serve in interim roles until his health would no longer allow it. At the time of his death he was a dedicated member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Louisville, KY.

Leon, who was affectionately referred to as “Brother Boyd”, is preceded in death by his wife Mary Joyce Park Boyd, brothers Louie Boyd and Ed Boyd and his son-in-law Gary Lee Riley. He leaves behind five children, Ron Boyd (Pam), Brenda Riley, Gerald Boyd (Mindy), Robert Boyd (Glenise), Howard Boyd, eleven grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation with family will be held at Evergreen Funeral Home, 4623 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40213 on January 8, 2023 from 4:00p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The funeral service will also be held at the funeral home on January 9, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Bethlehem Baptist Church, 5708 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40219.

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