Michael D. Boyd

10 September 1947 – 18 September 2021

Mike Boyd – 1971

Mike Boyd – 2014

Once again it is my sad duty to report on the unexpected death of a Brother Mondonguero. Mike Boyd died on 18 September 2021 of an apparent heart attack. Mike and family lived on the south shore of Donner Lake for many years, and he had been a member of Mondongueros for some 20 years. He was compelled to move to a lower altitude about 10 years ago due to a respiratory illness suffered by his wife, and relocated to Gerber CA, in the Redding area.

Mike grew up an Air Force ‘Brat,’ as his father was a test pilot at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio from 1946 until retirement in the early 1960s, after which he worked as an air carrier operations inspector for the FAA in Burlingame CA. His mother Betty (nee Elizabeth Shea) was a test pilot for Larry Bell before WWII, and flew with the WASPs, principally ferrying P-39 and P-63 aircraft to the Soviet Union from New York, via Alaska and Anadyr.

Mike completed USAF pilot training in 1971, and spent his time in SAC as a KC-135 pilot, ultimately assigned to the special group responsible for regularly supporting the SR-71 flights.

Mike later flew the C-130 and B-707 for Southern Air Transport, and the B-747F for Atlas Air. After retirement, Mike flew for the International Ferry & Flight Test Group, principally on the B-737, B-747, DC-8 and DC-10, and flew with me regularly worldwide on those types. We shared some unique experiences flying together, including a post-heavy check test flight on a B-747 where the flight controls jammed due to a maintenance error, and another planned B-747 flight on the morning of 11 September 2001, when our pre-flight inspection at George AFB was interrupted by local security personnel with drawn weapons, advising of the attacks in New York City and Washington DC.

Mike was a voracious reader and student of military and political history, and proudly proclaimed himself to be his local library’s “best customer.”

On our collective behalf, I have expressed condolences to his wife, Dawn, and daughters. No services are planned at this time.

Dictator Gary Edwards has announced the Annual Barbecue will be delayed, for reasons of the surge in the Delta Mutation Covid-19 incidence in Washoe County.

At least one member of the “regular” attendees at lunch has tested positive for the Delta Mutation of Covid-19, and whether he was vaccinated is not known for certain. We have not asked members for their vaccination status, but it is believed that several members may not be vaccinated.

Out of an abundance of caution, and based in no small measure upon the fact that we are all pretty much in the most susceptible age range for respiratory and other problems should we become infected, Dictator Gary Edwards has decided to suspend weekly lunch meetings, and also to delay the planned Annual Barbecue Event.

Therefore, the weekly luncheon meetings for Thursdays, 9 September and 16 September are cancelled. The Dictator will re-evaluate the situation over the next two weeks, including the Washoe County case incidence reports. For reference, new cases in Washoe County three days ago were over 1,400 news cases per day with more than 30 deaths per day. Those numbers are higher than at any time since the pandemic began.

The Annual Barbecue is re-scheduled by the Dictator to be held at his home between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm on the evening of Saturday, 25 Sep 2021. This is an annual tradition that is not to be missed for both the camaraderie and good food.

Gary Senior and Gary Junior will watch over the slow cook and smoke process all day, with ribs, beans and cole slaw the always-delicious result. A modest fee will be collected to offset the cost of the food and drink.

Gary’s home is at 9230 Hidden Park Drive in the Del Webb Somersett area west of Reno. The most efficient route is west in I-80 to about the four mile marker, exiting to the right and button-hooking 180 degrees back through the gateway arch. A map of the route is set forth below. As the Dictator says, “It’s all right turns coming in, and all left turns going out”.