Boyd Francis Gurney Obituary (1933 - 2021)

Funeral services for Boyd Gurney will be broadcast via Facebook Live on Saturday, February 27, 2021 beginning at 11:00 AM MDT. To watch this service, please click on the link below. Click HERE to view Funeral Services for Boyd Gurney Funeral services for Boyd Francis Gurney will be Saturday, February 27, 2021 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, located at 2450 W South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan, 11:00 with a viewing 2 hours before services. Interment will be in the Provo City Cemetery at 3:00, 610 S State St, Provo. Boyd Francis Gurney, 88, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 21, 2021 of natural causes, at his home in South Jordan, Utah. He was surrounded by his loving family. He was born January 24, 1933, in his Grandparents home on Center Street in Provo, Utah, to Francis and LeVerde Gurney. Boyd married Judith Brady in the Salt Lake Temple on September 11, 1959. Boyd and Judy are parents to five children; Gary, David, Suzette, Lisa, and Ginger; 21 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Boyd is preceded in death by three siblings, Kenneth Gurney, Kathleen Mohan, and Alene Eisel; and a granddaughter, Taryn Gurney. Boyd was the second child of a family of five children. He grew up in Ephraim, Utah, in a red brick home. Boyd attended Brigham Young University (BYU). While he was attending BYU, he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, attached to the 82nd Airborne Division. After an honorable discharge from the Army, he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. He served for three years in the Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia,and Peru Mission; spending all of his time in Uruguay. Following his mission, Boyd continued his educational pursuits at BYU. While at BYU, his younger sister, Kathleen Gurney, introduced him to her roommate, Judith Brady. Shortly thereafter, they were engaged and married. After they were married, Boyd finished his Bachelor's Degree in Soil Chemistry. Boyd's first job out of college was with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Roosevelt, Utah. Shortly after moving to Roosevelt, Gary was born. After a short stay with the BIA in Roosevelt, he took another position with the BIA and moved to Poston, Arizona. After living in Arizona for a year, they moved back to Provo for Boyd to finish his Masters Degree in Education Administration. David was born. After graduating with his Masters Degree, Boyd was offered a position at Richfield High School where he taught chemistry and physics for four years. During this time, Suzette was born. Their next move took them to Firth, Idaho, where Boyd was the principal of the high school for 2 years. Lisa was born. Boyd was then promoted to Superintendent of Firth School District for 3 years. Ginger was born. Another move took them to Tooele, Utah, where Boyd was the Principal of Tooele High School for three years. At this point, the family had moved 14 times in 14 years. It was time to settle down! At the request of his retiring parents, the family moved to Lost Creek, Salina, Utah, where Boyd farmed approximately 900 acres of farm land, helped manage the cattle operation with his brother, Kenneth, and was President of Gurney Land and Livestock. Boyd loved being on the farm and doing farm work. Lost Creek is where Boyd and Judy built their first home and where they lived for 30 years, raised their family, and enjoyed having grandchildren visit. Here they had many wonderful family activities, holidays, birthdays, four-wheeler expeditions, bonfires, a war with bats, re-shingled the roof of the home, Christmas tree hunting, climbed hay stacks, raised show calves, and building a mountain of memories for the whole family to enjoy for the rest of their lives. While living at Lost Creek, Boyd decided to go back into Education Administration. He served as the Principal of Salina Middle School for 14 years. Upon retiring, Boyd and Judy chose to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, to the Gunnison State Prison, in Gunnison, Utah. With a desire to be closer to family, Boyd and Judy moved to South Jordan, Utah, in March 2000 where they have enjoyed making new and everlasting friends. While living in South Jordan, they served a church service mission at the LDS Salt Lake Cannery; they served as ordinance workers in Jordan River Temple for 2 years; and served as Employment Specialists for the Church. During this time, Boyd continued to traveled back and forth to Lost Creek every 2 weeks in the summers to farm the land with son, Gary, for twenty years. We are so thankful for such a beautiful well rounded life and the countless blessings we have enjoyed. It was perfect!