Lon V. Boyd

Lon Vernon Boyd, 79, Judge, Attorney, and Alderman of Kingsport, passed away following a short illness Sunday, December 30, 2007, at Wexford House.

He was born and raised in Kingsport, the son of Lon and Maude Phillips Boyd, and graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in 1946. Lon attended Tusculum on a basketball scholarship and graduated from East Tennessee State University. After graduation he joined the U. S. Navy and became a member of the Navy Frogman Team Class #6 and served in the Korean Conflict. He attended George Washington University Law School and graduated from the University of Tennessee Law School in 1957 where he received a Doctor of Juris Prudence Degree. He began his practice of law in Kingsport in 1957 until 1965 and started a political career when he was elected Sullivan County Judge in 1966 and served until 1980, and was County Executive from 1980-1986, Lon returned to full time practice of law until his death. He was elected Alderman for the City of Kingsport where he served five years.

Mr. Boyd was chosen Young Man of the Year in 1963 by Kingsport Jaycees, was a charter member of Cosmopolitan Kiwanis Club, was elected a Paul Harris Fellow, was chairman of the Sullivan County Republican Party, was a member of First Presbyterian Church, and a member of Ridgefields Country Club.

Other memberships included a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Kingsport Bar Association where he served as president in 1998-99, a member of the VFW, and a member of the American Legion.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Betty Jo Boyd Hensley, and a brother, William Michael Boyd.

Surviving are is wife of 51 years - the former Betsy Lee of Asheville, NC; a sister, Shirley Boyd Page, Kingsport; nephews, Dan Page and wife, Christy of Kingsport, Dr. David Page and wife, Lisa of Knoxville; a brother-in-law, Howard Hensley, Kingsport; nieces Laura Hensley and husband, Brent Brazier of Moorpark, California, Alice Hensley Pope, Michelle Boyd Cline and husband Michael of Kingsport; a sister-in-law, Harrold Lee Vaughn of Charlotte , NC; nephews, Vernon Vaughn and wife, Mary of Gastonia, NC, Lee Vaughn and wife, Carla of Bristol, TN, and Steven Vaughn and wife, Caroline of Charlotte, NC; eleven great-nieces and great-nephews.

There will be a graveside service at Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Memorial Park with a memorial service to follow at 2:00 p.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Dr. David A. Cagle and Rev. Craig Foster will officiate. The family will receive friends following the memorial service at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to Dobyns-Bennett High School Lon Boyd Scholarship Fund, Activities Office, 1800 Legion Drive, Kingsport, TN 37664; or UDT-Seal, Naval Special Warfare Foundation Building Fund in the name of Lon Boyd, P. O. Box 5965, Virginia Beach, VA 23471; or First Presbyterian Church, Music Ministry, 100 West Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660.