Sally Sparks Boyd of Wellesley, MA, died peacefully on January 19, 2018 at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston after a ten-year struggle with cancer. She faced this ordeal with graciousness and brave resolve. She refused to let her illness define her and looked outwards to any joy and beauty she could see.
Born in Morrisville, Vermont, Sally was married to David P. Boyd, longtime resident of Wellesley. She was the daughter of Robert and Priscilla Sparks. She is survived by her husband David and her three siblings and their spouses, Joanne Godfrey of Morrisville, Alan and Kay Sparks of Stowe, Vermont, and Jeffrey Sparks and Betsy Harper of Jeffersonville, Vermont. She is also survived by three nieces Lindsay Sparks Baumann and her husband Jeff Baumann, Chelsea Sparks Utt and her husband JR Utt, and Emily Sparks Blume and her husband Matt Blume, step-nephew Joshua Carlson and his wife Elise Oleson, great nieces Sofie and Wesley Carlson, and great nephews Sawyer Blume and Micah Tolefree. She was preceded in death by niece Lia Sparks and brother-in-law Richard Godfrey. She was also particularly close to her husband David’s brothers Lew and John Boyd and their wives Cary and Louann, and their families, and to her cousins, and to the many dear friends whose friendships extended over a lifetime.
Sally graduated from Peoples Academy in Morrisville, Vermont, and the University of Vermont School of Dental Hygiene. After practicing dental hygiene in Burlington, VT and Boston, MA, she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Health Education from Boston University. She earned her doctorate in Rehabilitation Administration from Northeastern University and was Assistant Professor of Health Education at Northeastern for several years. In 1983 she began a new career at Perkins School for the Blind where she supervised on and off-campus programs for adults who were blind and deaf-blind, retiring after more than twenty-five rewarding years there. Her comfortable ease and sound judgment served her well in this challenging role.
Sally’s varied interests included travel, music, especially classical music, playing trumpet and piano, studying jazz dance, and enjoying outdoor sports such as skiing, skating and golf. She enjoyed reading, genealogy, gardening and spending time with her husband, family and friends. Her contagious laughter and her constant regard for others led to many close ties. Everyone she met instantly became her friend. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in Morrisville, VT.
Interment will be private with a memorial service to take place at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Wellesley at 11AM on Saturday, April 21st. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Sally’s memory to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284 or to Perkins School for the Blind, 175 North Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02472.