Kenneth Eugene Boyd

Kenneth Eugene Boyd, age ninety-five, of Cooperton, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2024. He was born on January 17, 1929, a mile southwest of Cooperton inside a rock washhouse that his grandfather Floyd Allen "Toad" Boyd had built. Kenneth attended schools at Cooperton, Indiahoma, and Central High in Marlow, Oklahoma, where he met the love of his life, Etta Arlene Maddox, while waiting for the school bus. He was captivated by the pretty black-haired girl with ruby-red lips, and he married her in January of 1945. Kenneth starting farming his great-grandfather's homestead when he was sixteen which later became the first Oklahoma Centennial Homestead in Kiowa County. Five generations have lived on that farm. Kenneth had a strong work ethic and had many different jobs throughout his life. He continued to operate the farm raising wheat, cotton, and cattle. He also did custom wheat and cotton harvesting. He worked at Altus Air Force Base and Fort Sill for many years as a heavy-equipment operator. He worked in the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge for seventeen years doing general maintenance and upkeep, but his favorite job there was helping gather buffalo, longhorn cattle, and elk for their annual sale. He owned and operated a gravel pit furnishing gravel and crushed rock for five counties and the Oklahoma Highway Department. In 1953, Kenneth became a Christian and was baptized at the Cooperton Christian Church where he served as Sunday school superintendent, taught the young-adult Sunday school class, served as a deacon and elder, and served on the church board. He was also a member of the S.E.A. Evangelistic Association that established the Western Hills and Carriage Hills Christian churches in Lawton, Oklahoma. Kenneth and Arlene were elected Kiowa County Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year in 1976. That same year Kenneth was elected Farmer and Rancher of the Year by WKY and KTVY Radio, Oklahoma City. Kenneth served on many boards throughout his life such as the Farmer's Co-op in Snyder, Roosevelt, Hobart, Gotebo, and Carnegie; Farm Bureau and Farmer's Union; Kiowa County Historical Museum where he served as vice-president; Southwest Oklahoma Antique Tractor Club; the Saddle Mountain Round-Up Club; and the Cooperton Volunteer Fire Department. Although Kenneth was a hard worker, he also found time for play. He would often take his family to the refuge to swim, fish, picnic, and climb mountains when his kids were little. He and Arlene loved to square dance; they belonged to the Cooperton Country Squares square dance club and attended dances in many area towns. Kenneth helped organize and was the sponsor of the Cooperton Saturday night dance for over twenty-five years. Kenneth was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved to hunt squirrels, coons, and frogs as a child. As an adult he hunted deer, elk and later trapped over 2,500 wild Russian boars that had moved into southwest Oklahoma. Kenneth had several hobbies such as collecting antiques, tractors, farm machinery, and gas pumps. He loved restoring things to their original state. He restored and sold over 500 gas pumps and shipped them all over the world. He enjoyed creating something new out of old parts. For almost twenty years, Kenneth and Arlene hosted the Oklahoma Territorial Trail Riders Wagon Train twice a year on their farm where he would often prepare a wild hog barbeque dinner and homemade ice cream for the group of riders. He and his family last hosted the wagon train in late March of this year. Kenneth loved people and made new friends wherever he went. He was a kind-hearted, practical joking, country boy and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

Survivors include two daughters: Sheila Lorene Brand and husband Rex of Mountain Home, TX, and Kathy Diane Cacini and husband Rick of Yukon, OK; one son Stephen Eugene Boyd and wife Debbie of Hobart, OK; two sisters Bonnie Sims and husband Billy of Saddle Mountain, OK and Judy Richey of Oklahoma City, OK; sisters-in-law Jackie Stewart of Marlow, OK and Joyce Boyd of Binger, OK; nine grandchildren; twenty-two great grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren and dear friend and caregiver Kay Mallett to whom the family offers gratitude for being a loving companion to him for the last few years of his life.

Kenneth is preceded in death by his parents Ross Bland Boyd and Minnie Lorene Smith Boyd, wife Arlene Boyd, brother Don Boyd, and grandson Travis Wayne Brand.

In Lieu of flowers donations can be made to

Cooperton Community Building or Kiowa County Museum

Funeral: 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 27, 2024

First Baptist Church

Roosevelt, Oklahoma

Interment: Hobart Rose Cemetery

Hobart, Oklahoma

Visitation: 9:00 a.m.~ 5:00 p.m., Thursday, July 25, 2024

9:00 a.m.~8:00 p.m., Friday, July 26, 2024

Family welcoming guest from 6:00 p.m.~ 8:00 p.m.

Ray & Martha's Funeral Home

Hobart, Oklahoma