Gertrude Roussey Boyd
“The Balloon Lady”
A tribute to my Mom
My mom, a well known resident of Hollister since 1956, passed away at , in her home, after a lengthy illness, on Saturday April 3, 2010, She was born in Oxnard on June 12, 1918, to parents Luis Ferdinand Roussey and Gertrude Smith Roussey. She was their only child. When my grandfather died my Mom and Grandmother moved to the ranch in King City. Mom graduated King City High School, class of 1935. She attended Salinas Junior College, where she met my dad; she went on to Stanford University as a pre-med student, she is a Stanford Alumni. She was a quarter away from finishing college, when her Mom died and left her properties in Oxnard and King City to take care of. She married my dad, David R. Boyd in 1940.
She was preceded in death by my dad David R. Boyd in 1998 and daughter Christine (our “Saint” passed away at age 2)
She is survived by six children. Jeff (Marilyn), Louise (Phil Everett), Mark (Jackie), Eric (Clair), Mary (Ed Wright), and Sara (Cary Andrade).
She is survived by 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, Patrick, Matthew, Derek, Breanne, Jenna, Laurie, Erica, Melinda, Nathan, Mitchell, Garret and Trisha Christine. Great-Grandchildren Neah and Erica.
They made several great and life long friends while raising our family in Oxnard, King City and Hollister. The Maulharts, Maloneys, Cartys, Jacobsens, Bakers and Freidericks of Oxnard. The Cornels, Petits, Taylors Huttons, Crinklaws, Lavelles, and Senesteros of King City, The Vincenzs of Salinas. The Dabos, McDonald’s, Ferraros, and Breens of Hollister. Mom and Dad were very active in the famous Lions Club of King City in the 50’s
Mom was a very busy woman raising all of us, but she found the time to make growing up extra fun! We were the only family I knew whose mom would allow her kids and all their friends to roller skate in the house on the hardwood floors. Friends were always welcome, and our kitchen was open to all. One of Mom’s favorite sayings was “We will just add another cup of water to the soup, if you’ll stay for dinner”. That was an understatement; she loved to entertain friends and family. She cooked up a storm. We used to say that she could feed an army, and at times she did.
Mom’s volunteer list is long. She was a Nurses Aid for WWII vets at Port Hueneme. She helped at all of our school functions, and held numerous offices in the PTA and the Red Cross. She was a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts in the 60’s in Hollister. She was a member of the Hollister Business and Professional Women’s Club and the Immaculate Conception Church Altar Society. In the meantime she continued her studies to earn her Real Estate and Life Insurance licenses. She opened Boyd Insurance in 1969, and ran it successfully for over 35 years. By this time she was active with the Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation, (of which she was a founder), the Hollister Women’s Club and Sacred Heart Church. Mom was one of the first business women to join the Hollister Rotary and she participated in the “Duck Race” Fundraiser in the 90’s.
Her willingness to work on many committees and the results she achieved did not go unnoticed. In 1990 Mom was chosen as “Woman of the Year” by the Chamber of Commerce for her devotion to the community of Hollister.
In 2001, she was on a committee to reduce the $4 million over run for the construction of St. Benedicts Church, and helped receive pledges of $2,700,000.
Children young and old, for three generations, remember her well, because of her kindness and passing out balloons. She never left the house or office without them. Her license plate bears the title that a former toddler gave her, “Boon Lady”
She never really fully retired at 80 years young, she trained me to sell and manage the Health and Life Insurance business. We have been partners since 1998 for Boyd and Andrade Insurance Services.
My mom was a very motivated and caring woman, who unselfishly devoted her whole life to our family, the Catholic Church and her community. My heart is truly broken. I have always known how special she was to me, but it wasn’t until I composed her obituary today, on Easter Sunday, that I fully realized her enormous impact on our family and our community. Thank you for everything Mom, you will never be forgotten and will be greatly missed!
Your loving daughter, Sara
A celebration of her life and a Mass of The Resurrection will be held on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010, commencing at 10:00 A.M. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 7290 Airline Hwy, Tres Pinos, CA to which family and friends are invited. A reception will follow at the church hall.
A private interment at Calvary Cemetery will be held.
Memorials in Gertrude’s name are preferred to the Immaculate Conception Church c/o the mortuary chapel.
Visit: www.grunnagle.com for condolences.
