Wes Boyd's Obituary
This obituary appeared on the web site of Brown-Van Hemert Funeral Home, Hudson.
Wesley Errol Boyd
November 5, 1947 - March 8, 2018 Born in Pontiac, Michigan Resided in Manitou Beach, Michigan
WES BOYD, 70, long time editor and publisher of the Hudson Post-Gazette, passed away peacefully at Hospice of Lenawee Thursday afternoon following a short illness.
Born November 5, 1947 to Otis Jack and Helen Boyd, Wes was a graduate of Addison High School and Siena Heights College. He married his wife Kathy on May 27, 1977. Wes served in the Army in Vietnam as a combat photographer, and in Germany as a courier. For many years, he worked as a pilot in Colorado, flying small aircraft and gliders. He was an early member of the North Country Trail Association which worked to build a series of interconnected foot trails across the northern United States, and of the Lenawee County Astronomical Association. He helped write and pass the legislation that established the first Dark Sky Preserve in Michigan at Lake Hudson. Wes started working off and on at the Post-Gazette in the 1970s as a reporter, and in the 1980s became a permanent fixture. He and his daughter Amanda purchased the newspaper from Ed Potter in 2010. Wes believed strongly in the importance of a newspaper to holding together the fabric of the community, and sacrificed for years to make sure the newspaper continued to be an important part of Hudson. In his spare time, he was a prolific writer of more than fifty books, which he self-published at www.spearfishlaketales.com, and he had more ready to publish. He yearned to see the next vista, and was always in search of a new adventure, so Wes could be found driving across the United States and frequently camping. For many years, he was also an avid astronomer and kayaker. He enjoyed watching short track racing, and was a reliable visitor to many races within several hundred miles. Wes is survived by his wife, Kathy, his daughter Amanda (Daniel) Ebbutt of Jackson, MI, and his mother, Helen Boyd, of Adrian, MI, and his uncle James Jacklin of Jackson, MI. He is preceded in death by his father Otis Jack Boyd.
Memorial Services will be held at 2 P.M. Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Brown-Van Hemert Funeral Home in Hudson, Michigan with Pastor Bob Dister officiating. Full Military Honors will be conducted by Hudson American Legion Hannan-Colvin Post #180. Visitation will be held prior to the service from noon till time of service. A memorial dinner will take place at Rollin Center United Methodist Church immediately following the service. Burial will take place at a later date in Fort Custer National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his honor can be made to the Hudson Foundation.
