Mary Lou Boyd

Mary Lou Boyd, 89 of Grand Ridge passed away Wednesday evening (January 25, 2023) at Pleasant View Lutheran Home in Ottawa.

A celebration of life will be held Monday from 5PM – 7PM at the Grand Ridge Funeral Home.

Burial will be in the St. Andrews Cemetery at a later date.

Mary Lou was born on July 12, 1933, in LaSalle to Henry and Louise (Ruorock) Lavens.  

She married William Boyd on December 2, 1951.  He passed away on September 24, 2007. 

She is survived by her son, William (Bridget) Boyd of Grand Ridge and grandchildren, Jessica (Derrick Brimmer) Kubiak of Grand Ridge and Kyle (April) Kubiak of Blairstown, IA.

Mary Lou is preceded in death by her parents, husband, grandsons, Billy and Nick Boyd and brother, Charlie Lavens.

She attended Cedar Point Grade School and graduated from LaSalle Peru High School in 1951.

Mary Lou was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Grand Ridge where she taught Sunday school for many years.  She was also a member of St. Andrews in the Fields Church in Farm Ridge Township. 

She loved her grandchildren, farming, her dogs, and horses.  She loved speed, fast cars, and thrills. 

In her younger years she raced go carts,  She was a member of the LaSalle County Corvette Club and raced Corvettes and even took a lap around the INDY 500. 

She was an accomplished silversmith, and acrylic, oil, and watercolor painter.

Mary was involved in Blue Grass Music in her later years.  She was a member of a band called Grand Ridge 5 where she played the stand-up base until she was too weak to hold the base up. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the Grand Ridge Fire Department or to Pleasant View Lutheran Home in Ottawa.