Boyd Ruth Ann (Brinkman) of Needham, July 15, 2016, at age 73. Survived by her son, Jason W. Boyd, and many friends, drawn by her warmth, loyalty, and keen sense of humor.
Born in 1942 to Francis and Marjorie Brinkman of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she was the first in her immediate family to attend college. Ruth achieved academic degrees from Carleton College (B.A., 1964) and Cornell University (Ph.D., 1978).
Over a forty-year period she held responsible positions for a range of employers including Harvard University (answering correspondence to President Derek Bok), the American Red Cross, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Digital Equipment Corporation, Lotus Development Corporation, and IBM. She kept abreast of developments in the computer field and had a remarkable ability to write manuals and reports in plain, clear English.
She was an active Unitarian as a 22-year member of Follen Community Church in Lexington and then, over the past 15 years, of the First Unitarian Society in Newton.
A lifelong lover of music, she sang in the choir of each of these churches. A memorial service is being planned for a later date.