Miriam Wiest Boyd, 85, of Gerrardstown, WV, died Monday, June 18, 2018 at Countryside Assisted Living in Berkeley Station, WV.

Born May 21, 1933 in Gerrardstown, WV, she was the daughter of Grace Shickle Wiest and Carl Wesley Wiest. She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, James Boyd.

She was a lifelong member of the Gerrardstown United Methodist Church where she was the choir director, soloist, pianist, and active in the Faithful Friends Sunday School class, United Methodist Women, and Bible School. She graduated from Martinsburg High School in 1950 where she was a Golden Horseshoe winner.

She graduated from Shepherd College with high honors with a BA degree in Elementary Education in 1956 and became a teacher at Gerrardstown Elementary School. Additionally, she and her husband, Jim, owned and operated Wiest and Boyd Grocery Store until 1979. From 1999 until 2012, she lived in Ocala, Florida and attended Ocala West United Methodist Church. Over the years, Miriam participated in many activities including square dancing, Musselman Band parents, 4-H, baking, crafting, genealogy, traveling, antiquing, playing mahjong, reading, and working crossword and word find puzzles.

She is survived by her 4 children: Cindy Woods (Rodney), J. Scott Boyd (Tammy), Lisa Loudan (Michael), and Melanie Clark (Robert); 8 grandchildren: Kate Zombro, Weslie Conner (Wes), Rachel Maston (Scott), John Boyd, Matthew Loudan (Chloe), Mitchell Loudan (Catelin), Allison Clark, and Alexis Clark; and 4 great-grandchildren: Emma Mohamed, Ripley Loudan, Connor Loudan, and Boyd Maston.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Doris Wiest and brother, William Wiest, killed in WWII.

The family would like to thank the staff of Countryside Assisted Living where Miriam made her home for the last 5 years and Hospice of the Panhandle who helped with her care the past 4 months for their kindness and compassion.

Funeral services will be held Friday, June 22, 2018 at 1:00 pm at Gerrardstown United Methodist Church with Pastor Gary Sieglein officiating. Interment will be in Gerrardstown Presbyterian Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Brown Funeral Home South Berkeley Chapel on Thursday, June 21 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm and Friday, June 22 at 12:00 pm at the church prior to the service.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Gerrardstown United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 101, Gerrardstown, WV 25420.

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