Gilbert F. Boyd Jr.

Gilbert Fisk Boyd, 88, died peacefully on April 18, 2025, after a long journey with Parkinson’s disease. To friends and family, he was “Chub” or “Chubby”—a name he carried from his first year that captured the warmth he brought to every gathering. Born in Norwich, N.Y., to Dr. Gilbert F. Boyd Sr., a dentist, and Helen Soderholm, a Finnish-American, Gil grew up in Middletown, where he developed a deep bond with nature and an instinct for friendship. At age eight, he contracted polio. He recovered fully,

escaping the paralysis that afflicted so many others. That early brush with adversity shaped the strength he carried into every corner of his life until his death. Gil enlisted in the U.S. Navy after high school. A sonar operator aboard a destroyer, he sailed the oceans of the world and often shared the story of how his ship rode out a dangerous hurricane. The pitching was so pronounced, and the waves were so high that his feet were submerged while he walked the highest catwalk. Gil then went to Orange County Community College and then earned a degree in education from the University of Michigan. He was a proud Wolverine and celebrated many birthdays and holidays by adorning friends and family with gifts in maize and blue. He began his family in Michigan, then moved west to Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he launched his career in education and coaching. In 1968, he brought his growing family back to New York and eventually landed a job as a guidance counselor at Valley Central High School in Montgomery until he retired. He guided his students with care, humor, and a steady belief in their potential. And for the rest of his life, he would often run into a former counselee with a remembering warmth. Despite his early brush with polio, Gil thrived in motion his entire life. He played basketball through college, won club golf championships at Orange County Country Club and Stony Ford Golf Course. He spent countless hours fly fishing the country’s storied rivers, often with friends or his favorite sportsman, his son Grant. He tied his own flies, studied water, and passed along his love of fishing to many family and friends. He coached Little League, taught high schoolers how to get down a snowy hill on skiing, and would be known to patiently hit a bucket of tennis balls to beginners of all ages. He built a small basketball court in his driveway for his children and taught each one to consistently hit nothing but net. He was a loving grandfather who was known for his kindness and his pride in his grandchildren’s accomplishments. He lived the seasons through sport and never turned down a game, a cast on a rocky shore, or a walk along 18 holes.

One of his fishing cohorts Rick Danger once wrote, after a Catskills fishing trip with Gil, Grant, and Richard: “Once in a while, chance favors those who endeavor to pursue a dream. One studies the science and finds the art in this. Hours spent listening to the wise old river keepers of the Catskills, immersed in the wisdom of their stories. As they say, ‘Listen to the river and you will catch a trout.’ Today we travel home, blessed. Thank you.” If Gil met you once, you remembered his smile. If you saw him twice, he called you friend. Gil and Rosa, his wife of 45 years, grew up together and were true partners in life that included a house full of children, a seat at their table for anyone who might get a whiff of Rosa’s incredible meals, and a calendar full of visits, holidays, and family milestones. They traveled the country and many parts of the Old World, played golf together on many courses, cooked for crowds, and filled every room they entered with acceptance. Gil is survived by his beloved wife Rosa Barberio Boyd; his sister, Barbara Peck; his brother-in-law, Richard Peck; his children, Grant Boyd (and Kathy Boyd), Julie Cole, and Nancy Boyd (and Denver Fredlund); his stepchildren, Diana Pignatelli, Linda DeStefano (and Joseph DeStefano), Michael Clark, and Maria Blose (and Randy Blose); three nephews, Chris Peck, Jeff Peck, and Chip Peck; his grandchildren: Danielle, Derrick, Nicole, Alessandra, Dustin, Brennan, Jacob, Samantha, William, Henry, Campbell, Broady, Kenzie, and Damon and four great-grandchildren; two great-nephews and a great-niece; and many beloved in-laws by the dozens. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Gil’s name to the Valley Central Scholarship Council (VCSC), which provides scholarships to graduating seniors at Valley Central High School. Contributions can be made at www.vcsc1964.com.

A public viewing will be held at the Martinez Morse Funeral Home

33 Railroad Ave., Middletown, NY, on April 29 at 2-4 p.m. A memorial service will follow at 4 pm at the same location. All who knew Gil are welcome. Anyone who wishes to share a memory is encouraged to do so.

Arrangements by Ralston-Lippincott-Hasbrouck-Ingrassia Funeral Home, Inc. 845-343-6023 or www.ocfuneralhomes.com