Boyd Crowson

1969 - 2023

Boyd Albert Crowson, passed away peacefully in Lethbridge on Friday, July 21, 2023 at the age of 54 years of complications from dermatomyositis, with his beloved wife Tammie and their daughters Mikaela and Cadence, at his side.

Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M.

The Funeral Service was held at the Vauxhall Community Church (formerly the Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church), 320 - 9 Street North, Vauxhall on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. Burial followed at the Vauxhall Cemetery.

Besides Tammie, his wife of nearly twenty eight years, he is survived by their daughters, Mikaela and Cadence and his parents Lloyd and Martha Crowson. He will be lovingly remembered by his siblings Melody (Murray) Kester and their children Soren and Bailey; Melvin (Michelle) Crowson and their children Connor and Reilly; Belinda Crowson; Melissa (Jason) Medve and their children Pearce and Brielle. Boyd is also survived by Tammie’s mother Carol Miner and brother Dennis (Tanis) Miner and their son Ryley. He will be fondly remembered by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was predeceased by his infant brother Robert; grandparents David and Annie Enns and William and Irene Crowson; father-in-law Jack Miner as well as by several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Boyd was born in Taber on April 10, 1969 to Lloyd and Martha Crowson. Boyd grew up on the family farm north of Enchant where he attended school before graduating from Vauxhall High School in 1987. He attended the Medicine Hat College where he earned a diploma in Computer Technology. Boyd then went on to complete his heavy boom truck ticket to become a certified picker operator. He has had many jobs over the years including working at Bell’s Poultry, Circle E Grazing, W. Enns Construction and Thompson Bros Construction. He worked as a rig hand for Blue Bird Drilling, Cactus Drilling and Precision Drilling and drove truck for Tim’s Water Hauling. Boyd then started work for Joyline Heavy Hauling (formerly Speedy and Cage), moving oil rigs. This is where he decided he wanted to get his picker ticket. Being a picker operator allowed Boyd to use his love of numbers and math along with his love of being outside and he was very proud of his skills as an operator. He spent a short time on dispatch and soon learned that he intensely disliked office work. He then went to work for Classic Hot Shot in Taber where he has been driving truck and running a picker for them for the last several years. Boyd’s favourite thing was to be out running his picker and especially any of the weird and interesting jobs that he was asked to do from putting in transformers and equipment to loading helicopters. Boyd could tell you every road and jobsite that he had been on in Southern Alberta. He loved his work at Classic and loved the people that he worked with. He was happy at work and missed being able to do this work the last couple of years due to his illness.

Boyd met Tammie in 1993 and they were married August 19, 1995. Boyd and Tammie moved to Taber where they have lived ever since. Two daughters followed, Mikaela born in 2001 and Cadence in 2004. He was so proud of his girls and loved them deeply.

Boyd had a few hobbies that he enjoyed including playing computer games (really old games on his really old computer), canoeing, camping, reading, travelling and watching Antiques Road Show. He preferred traveling in the car rather than flying. Many hours were spent in the vehicle exploring Canada and the northwestern USA in the car. Boyd would say “I haven’t been on this road before. Let’s go this way.” He also loved music. He loved all music but especially country music. When Boyd was younger, he really enjoyed horseback riding and biking. He was very proud to say that he rode his bike across Canada in 1991 on a dare from someone who said he couldn’t do it. He rode from Vauxhall to Halifax.

His favourite things were working and spending time with his family. Boyd loved taking Mikaela and Cadence on adventures when Tammie was at work and they would end up all over Southern Alberta. He loved being with his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. He loved that his family was so close and that he got to spend so much time with all of them. He would always take time to attend family gatherings.

Boyd suffered with many health concerns, doctor’s visits and hospitalizations over the last two years due to his dermatomyositis and he faced these with bravery, tenacity, positivity and humour. He was rarely discouraged and would always try to make the best of any situation.

If anyone chooses to send flowers, please ensure the flowers are animal safe (no lilies). If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Boyd’s name may be made directly to The Myositis Association, 370, 6950 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia Maryland, USA 21046, or donate online at www.myositis.org.

“We would like to thank our families as well as Bert and Jen Friesen and all the staff at Classic Hot Shot for all their love and support. To my (Tammie’s) friends and colleagues at Taber Home Care thank you so much for all that you have done both professionally and to support us as a family. This list of people to thank from Boyd’s health care team is long. To all the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physio therapists, recreation therapists, dieticians, speech language pathologists and others who helped Boyd your kindness and knowledge are appreciated more than you will ever know. To the ICU staff that took care of Boyd in the last few weeks, you are amazing people. The absolute expertise, kindness, and care that Boyd got, and we felt as a family is unmatched. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

“Okay. Bye.”