Boyd Francis Wietecter passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 9, 2008, at Barnes Jewish Hospital after a courageous battle with leukemia. He was born on December 17, 1939, in St. Louis, MO.
He was the beloved husband for 39 years of Barbara Wietecter (nee Hassall); loving son of Virginia (nee Hobbs) Wietecter and the late Vernon R. Wietecter; dear brother of Suzann (Ralph) Kendrick; dear father of Patricia (Douglas) Hill; and beloved grandfather of Ethan, Elliot and Meredith Hill. He received his early education from the Mehlville School District, graduating from Mehlville High School in 1957. He attended Washington University on scholarship and was awarded the Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees.
Boyd entered military service in June, 1965. He was a member of the U.S. Army Signal Corps serving in Vietnam from 1966 – 1967. Upon discharge from the Army he was employed by the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Department where he worked for 35 years. Boyd retired in 2002 after 26 years as Director of the Wayne Kennedy Complex in South County where he was responsible for numerous recreation projects and programs.
In 1969, Boyd married Barbara Hassall of Webster Groves and made Kirkwood their home. During his life in Kirkwood, Boyd served on the Kirkwood YMCA Board, the St. Joseph Hospital “Friends of St. Joe”, and on the Kirkwood Park Board.
For more than thirty years Boyd was very active in the Ice Skating Institute, serving this international organization as District Representative, Vice President, and President. In recognition of Boyd’s strength, talents and many contributions, ISI awarded him the Great Skate Award in 1988 and named him Man of The Year in 1993. He was elected to the ISI Skating Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2008, he was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was most proud of being instrumental in developing the ISIA Education Foundation which provides college scholarship opportunities for ISIA members upon high school graduation. Boyd served as President of the Foundation for 4 years and continued as Trustee until his death.