Leonard Robert Boyd Jr., of Willowbrook, KS, known as Bob to most, Boydo to many, and Bob-O to his two grandchildren, passed away on Dec. 2, 2014. Nothing about his life was ordinary. His great-uncle developed Beverly Hills, CA. His father would give Dean Smith, the future legendary basketball coach, his first job at the family's grocery store in Topeka. He was a classmate of Linda Brown, of "Brown v. Board of Education" fame. He was expected to win the Kansas 6A title in the Mile his senior year, until an unheralded sophomore from Wichita named Jim Ryun blew away the field. He served on a top secret Congressional investigation into massive corruption in the officer's club system in Vietnam. He once drove from Kansas City to Wichita in nearly 90 minutes when a Kansas Highway Patrolman repaid a favor from years earlier. He once found an unused ticket on the ground for the Michigan/Notre Dame game and sat with the Michigan band and eventually on the Michigan sideline. Over 25 years ago, he identified and designed a way to add almost 250 seats at Allen Fieldhouse and even had his own construction crew build the first ten seats. Through morning dog walks, he became close friends with the famous general manager of the Oakland A's and of "Moneyball" fame. Despite being an infrequent and unaccomplished golfer, he played Augusta National, Pine Valley, and the Old Course at St. Andrew's.

Bob was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 15, 1944, and briefly lived in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, but soon moved to Topeka by the age of two. As a child he was ornery and inquisitive. Summers were spent at his uncle's working ranch in Wyoming, initially to avoid the polio epidemic, but later due to his affection for the area.

After being elected president of his junior class at Topeka High School, he moved to Hutchinson in 1961, to support his father as he started a Volkswagen dealership. He graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1963, and spent one year at Hutchinson Community College, before attending the University of Kansas and joining Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. KU and Phi Gamma Delta would become two of his greatest lifelong interests. He was elected President of the Business School Council, despite not being in the business school. Bob built a vending, sweatshirt and booking agency empire at KU, earning over $1,000 per month in 1967.

Following two years in the United States Army, including one tour in Vietnam, he returned to Hutchinson to help run the family car dealership. Under Bob's guidance as President, Boyd Motors would add Audi and Mazda and became one of the largest volume Audi dealers in the country. For seven straight years, Boyd Motors had the highest market penetration of any Audi dealer in America.

Bob sold the new car dealership in 1986, and started a second career in commercial real estate. He was Managing Director of Corporate Real Estate for J.P. Weigand and Sons, and later as Executive Vice President for Corporate Services with Grubb and Ellis/Martens Companies, both in Wichita. He was proud to be Hutchinson's first and only member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), and served as President of the Kansas City SIOR chapter. Bob served as National Office Chairman and National Industrial Chairman for NAI Global and received NAI's Lombardi Award as their top national performer.

He was a self-educated mechanical engineer. An eternal optimist and pragmatist that would never take no for an answer, he believed that friendship was the sweetest influence. Where others saw problems, he saw solutions. He was always curious, asking questions and wanting to learn, even until his final days.

He loved photography, studying history and exploring. He enjoyed summers in Wyoming, winters in Phoenix, and Lawrence on game days.

He felt a strong obligation to give back, which led to a lifetime of community involvement. American Legion and NJCAA Tournament Team Host for 25 years, KU's Phi Gamma Delta House Corporation for 23 years, including two terms as President and awarded the John Kapfer Graduate of the Year, KU's Williams Fund and Wheel Club for over 40 years, Rotary International, including the Paul Harris Fellowship, Boy Scout Webelos Troop Leader, local political campaign chairman for Bob Dole, Larry Jones and Nestor Weigand, Hutchinson Town Club Board of Directors, Arizona Biltmore Home Owners Association Board, Hutchinson Planning Commission, Hutchinson Subdivision Board, Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce, Holy Cross Catholic Church usher, Historian for the City of Willowbrook, Prairie Dunes Country Club, Carey family of Hutchinson, and William Green family of Topeka. He was a long-time member of Prairie Dunes Country Club and the Hutchinson Town Club, as well as the Garden of the Gods Club and the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard Robert Boyd Sr., and Ruth Boyd, of Hutchinson. He is survived by: his wife of 44 years, Mary Jane Boyd; his son, Richard R. Boyd of Mission Hills; his daughter-in-law, Gayle Boyd; and his two loving grandchildren, Hampton Robert Boyd and Georgia Brooke Boyd.

The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 26th and Plum, at noon Friday, December 12, 2014, with Father Joseph Eckberg officiating. Friends may sign the register book Monday thru Friday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorials to be sent to the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation, in care of Ben Robinson, PO Box 4599, Lexington, KY 40544-4599, (859) 255-1848, or in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 North Main, Hutchinson, KS, 67501.