Bettye Boyd

Bettye Louise Gerhardt Boyd, 91, of Joplin, Missouri, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014, at her home with family at her side.

She was born March 21, 1923, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Julius William and Rosalia Fredrica Woeltje Gerhardt. She graduated from a Cape Girardeau Central High School, attended Yale School of Art, and then married Robert Boyd on April 11, 1954, in Cape Girardeau.

Bettye moved to Joplin in 1968, where she helped her husband with their business, Grandpa's, located on North Main Street. She was a very generous person who helped many people through the years. She was fiercely proud of her German (Bavarian and Upper Saxon) lineage, "I'm a pure-blooded German," loved to play any card game, and was a competitor.

Her life was dedicated to her children, grandchildren, and her children's friends, especially celebrating birthdays, which were major productions in her yearly plans. She was a better wife than any man deserved. She had fresh flowers every day of the year, and fought hard to reach her 92nd birthday.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by five siblings, Kermit W. Gerhardt, Burton Julius Gerhardt, Reginald F. Gerhardt, William A. Gerhardt, Julius W. Gerhardt Jr. and Sally Gerhardt Clayton.

Survivors include her husband, Robert Boyd of Joplin; children, Randolph Nelson Sykes and wife Kim of Port Orange, Florida, Ann Elizabeth Mockett-Smith and husband David Smith of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Robert Wesley Boyd and wife Cindy of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Katherine Trammell and husband Dr. Vic Trammell of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Derrick Ingram and wife Jackie of Houston; and was known as "Gom-Gom" to her grandchildren, Hannah K. Boyd of Tulsa, Ann Elizabeth Smith of New Smyrna Beach, Ian S. Boyd of Tulsa, and Kevin and Kyle Ingram of Houston, Hill, Virginia and John Trammell.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary in Joplin.

A memorial service will be at a later date.