Thomas Boyd

Longtime servant of the people, Thomas Boyd, wore many hats in his service to Washington, and as a tribute, we all travel the road that bears his name.

Boyd's day job entailed serving as the parts department manager for Essig Motors for the entirety of the Essig run (1945-1981). He then moved to successor Gary Uftring's Chevrolet dealership in that role until 1984, when he retired.

In the 1950s, Boyd served as a member of Washington's volunteer fire department and, in 1959, was elected second assistant fire chief.  Boyd was elected fire chief within two years, a position he would hold for eight years.  However, after his second year at the helm, he stated he would not run again, but his 20-man crew talked him into it.  This editorial appeared in the newspaper:

There is reason this week to get "on fire" about a matter which often escapes the attention and interest of most persons.  And so a look into why Washington volunteer firemen chose to pressure their two-term chief into taking the office for a third year is necessary.

At the November meeting of the Fire Department, Tom Boyd startled the firemen with the announcement that he would not be a candidate for chief in 1963.  Today he stands at the head of the department after having bowed to pressures of the men who treasure his leadership.

All the reasons why the 20 volunteers chose Boyd will never be known, for each man has several reasons of his own.  And there is probably no single reason to point out as a factor for the group's choice.  There is no disputing that the department, and the people in three area fire districts are fortunate for another year.

During two years of leadership by Boyd, several changes have been wrought in the department operations, a close unity of men with a purpose has been achieved, some new programs for the community reaching beyond putting out fires have resulted.  One man could never do it all, but one man with respect of others, with a strange gift of leadership, and with impressive ideas of his own inspired the department to do it.

Both younger and older firemen report that Boyd has given the spark of genius to the organization.  He sincerely cares about each person-each firemen and each person with whom he talks.  He has a way of requesting jobs be completed so that one feels he is helping you, not you working for him.  He listens to others and then moves ahead positively with decisions right more often than wrong.  He makes each worker feel that he is important and is virtually indispensable.

During the past couple of years, Boyd has worked tirelessly for city and rural areas helping to lead into fruition such things as lowest fire loss for several years; an orientation program of business places for firemen; a street naming system; seemingly complete accord among 20 dedicated persons; and a fire department that is the envy of every other fire department in the area.

Seldom does a community get the services of such an individual and these words do not do him justice.  Hopefully, his thousands of friends in this area will find a way to repay him.

In 1972, Boyd was elected Mayor of Washington in a special election to fill the remaining term of resigning Mayor Robert Hult. Tom garnered two-thirds of the vote over challenger Bob Kauzlaruch.  Boyd did not seek re-election, and Ed Habecker took the reins in 1973.

Mayor Habecker appointed Boyd to chair a committee on bringing about the Route 24 bypass, which had been discussed for decades and was now much closer to a reality. Under Boyd's leadership, the ball began rolling, and public hearings with IDOT were held to create the first maps of what the bypass would look like. It was truly the flip of the switch from the hypothetical to reality. In 1996, the completed bypass was aptly renamed Boyd Parkway.

Boyd passed away in 1998 at the age of 76.  He is buried in Hillcrest Memory Gardens between Washington and Morton.