(August 20, 1944 – June 19, 2025)
Let us come together in love, reflection, and prayer as we celebrate a life well lived.
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” – Matthew 25:23
BRACEY, VA – With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend, Betty Jean “Lil Sis” Robinson Boyd, who entered her eternal heavenly home on Thursday, June 19, 2025, at the age of 80. She passed peacefully in her home surrounded by family in Bracey, Virginia.
Born in Mecklenburg County (Bracey), Virginia, to the late Lee Robinson and Ruth Macklin farmers (sharecroppers from Bracey, Virginia), Betty’s life was rooted in faith, family, and hard work. From an early age, she developed a personal relationship with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She was confirmed at St. Mark; ‘s Episcopal Church and later became a dedicated and faithful servant at St. Stephens RZUA Church, where she held numerous positions including Pastor’s Aide, Deaconess, Trustee, Head of Trustee Board, Mission Board Member, and Church Treasurer for 45 years.
Betty Boyd attended the Carroll-Boyd School, a Rosenwald School for African American students within the Mecklenburg County School System. This grammar school in Bracey, VA, featured electricity, three classrooms, three coal heaters, two small cloakrooms, and a kitchen. She was a member of the graduating Class of 1962 at East End High School in South Hill, VA.
On November 9, 1962, Betty married her high school sweetheart, John Wesley Boyd, Sr. Their union was a beautiful example of enduring love, and together they shared over 60 years of marriage, raising their two sons, Adrian and John Jr., and building a strong foundation for their family.
Within weeks of getting married, Betty and her husband John moved to New York City, where she began her career at Surfside Nursing Home. Her passion for caring for the elderly flourished during her years there, exemplifying her compassion and selfless spirit. In 1979, she and her family returned to their roots in Bracey, Virginia, where she continued her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant, working for Lake County Agency on Aging before joining the Community Memorial Hospital and retiring from Community Memorial Health Center Hundley Annex in 2014. Betty’s remarkable work ethic was unmatched.
Betty was a member of many civic groups. She was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Mecklenburg County NAACP, and Democratic Party of Virginia, and served her community as a Mecklenburg County Poll Worker.
Beyond her career and civic engagement, Betty was deeply involved in the family farm alongside her husband and son. Farming became not just a way of life, but a source of pride and joy as they cultivated tobacco, soybeans, peanuts, cotton, corn, and raised beef cattle. Betty was even featured on the HISTORY Channel’s documentary series American Farm, sharing her family’s rich farming legacy with a national audience.
Her greatest passion, however, was her family. She often said, “Family is everything.” She poured her heart into her role as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend, always offering a warm smile, a kind word, and unwavering support. Betty was the cherished mother of John W. Boyd, Jr., the renowned Civil Rights Activist and Founder of the National Black Farmers Association. At the 34th Annual Conference, Ms. Boyd was presented with the National Black Farmers Association Lifetime Achievement Award for decades of support and unwavering dedication.
Betty was preceded in death by her siblings: Shirley Mae “Bae Black” Lambert, Willie Lee “Bra Dick” Robinson, Emma Sue “Shine” Valentine, Herman Edward “Bozo” Robinson, Thomas Winfred “Plumstick” Robinson, and Raymond “Manny Cake” Robinson.
She leaves to cherish her memory: her sons: Adrian Boyd (Joanne Bedford) of Bracey, VA, and John W. Boyd, Jr. (Kara Brewer Boyd) of Baskerville, VA; four beloved grandchildren: John W. Boyd III, Tequorra Green Locklear (Cory), Braven Green (Tiffany), and Sydni Faith Boyd; three great-grandchildren: Isaac Chavis, Tori Green, and Rayen Green; her devoted sisters: Carrie “Sallie Bet” Dunson and Jane Hite; an honorary daughter Angie “Niecey” Pearson, lifelong childhood friend Mary Valentine Currie, a host of loving in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, church family, and dear friends.
Though we mourn her absence and our hearts grieve, we rejoice knowing she has received her eternal reward and now rests safely in the arms of her Savior Jesus Christ. Her life was a beautiful reflection of faith, service, hard work, and unconditional love — a cherished legacy that will live on for generations to come.
