Dennis Boyd

ANNA, Ill. -- Dennis Boyd, 82, of Anna died at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007, at the Illinois Veterans Home in Anna.

He was born Nov. 5, 1924, in Anna, son of Frederick and Margaret Angell Boyd.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Henry; and a sister, Ruth.

Dennis was united in marriage to Sarah A. Miller Feb. 24, 1945, at the Lutheran parsonage in Dongola, Ill.

He is survived by his wife of almost 62 years of Anna, and a son, John, who also resides in Anna.

With 37 years of U.S. government service -- also spent in aviation and related duties -- Dennis Boyd, a flight service specialist at the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), retired from the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport Feb. 23, 1980.

He began his service in the Navy in 1943 as an air traffic control specialist at a land and seaplane base on Whidbey Island, Wash., they served at the Naval Air Station in Glenview, Ill., and at Grosse Isle, Mich.

Upon completion of 12 years of Naval service, he became associated with the FAA, getting his training at the Aeronautical Center School in Oklahoma City, Okla. He was assigned to the St. Louis air route control center at Lambert Field in 1956.

In October 1958 he was assigned to the Flight Service Station in Farmington, Mo. When that station was decommissioned in June 1960, he and all the other members of that crew were transferred to the new FSS in Cape Girardeau, where he completed his final 20 years of government service.

He was a lifetime member of the American Legion, where he served in various offices and capacities and also NARFE, in which he held several offices.

He was always dedicated to his family and his church. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Anna. He also truly enjoyed talking with all kinds of people and also watching football, baseball and especially basketball.

The funeral will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Anna, with Pastor Paul Weber officiating. Interment will be in St. John's Cemetery, with military rites conducted by Carroll P. Foster VFW Post 3455.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Hileman Funeral Home in Jonesboro, Ill., and Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Trinity Church.

Memorials may be made to the memorial fund at Trinity Lutheran Church in Anna.