Obituaries

Catherine Cone Boyd

Photo of Catherine Cone Boyd
Catherine Ruth Cone Boyd June 7, 1931 – November 25, 2015. Born in Searcy, Ark. to James T. Cone & Oral Wood. Cathy grew up in Searcy, Arkansas and graduated from Harding College. She did graduate work in English literature at the University of Arkansas and the University of Illinois. She taught English at schools and universities in Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Puerto Rico and Tennessee. She settled with her family in Fayetteville in the early 1970's and began a career in real estate, both as an agent for Faucette/Coldwell Banker and as a landlord for her own rental property. Cathy lived a truly remarkable life. She was an avid world traveler who explored virtually every corner of the earth on numerous occasions. She also lived in Puerto Rico for almost 10 years. She liked to write about her travels and her some of her work was published in the New York Times. She was passionate about learning languages and was fluent in Spanish, German, and always managed to learn some of the language of the countries that she visited. To say that Cathy was a prolific reader would be an understatement. She read tens of thousands of books throughout her life and always had one within reach. She could recite famous poetry and details from classic novels until her final days, even if she could not remember what she had for breakfast. She loved helping students with their writing assignments and her work received high marks from countless U of A Junior English instructors over four decades. She was obviously unable to edit this obituary, so her children sincerely apologize for any grammatical errors or stylistic issues it may contain. Cathy was an enthusiastic patron of the arts, including museums, films, theatre, and especially opera. She loved playing bridge. She had a lifelong thirst for knowledge and attended classes at the U of A into her 60's. She loved the outdoors and her some of her favorite activities included horseback riding, snorkeling, canoeing, whitewater rafting, and gardening. Generous with her time, Cathy volunteered with numerous organizations, including Friends of the Fayetteville Public Library, Community Emergency Outreach (CEO), and the Uptown Alternative School. She was determined to make the world a better place and was passionate about civil rights. She was proud to serve as the faculty liaison to the Black Student Association while teaching English at Memphis State University during the late 1960's, and was an active member of the ACLU in Fayetteville. Cathy possessed a special talent for building relationships and had an immense and diverse network of friends throughout the world. She could bond with almost anyone, regardless of their age, education, or culture, whether they were an angst-ridden teenager, a long-haired hippie biker, or a CEO. Her home was always open to her friends and she frequently entertained there. Cathy was greatly loved and will be long-remembered and strongly missed by those who knew her. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on January 2, 2016 from 1-4 p.m. at the Fayetteville Public Library. She is survived by her daughter, Caroline Boyd of Kansas City, son, James T. Boyd and his wife, Andrea Boyd, of Dallas, son, C. Andrew Boyd of Little Rock, and grandchildren, Sophie Mitchell, Eli Mitchell, and Isabella Boyd. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Friends of the Fayetteville Public Library, the Fayetteville Animal Shelter, or Community Emergency Outreach. Please share your fond thoughts and memories of Catherine on her memorial at www.WestfieldChapel.com.

Published December 2, 2015

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