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OBITUARY: Bill Boyd QSO, CNZM (1933-2025), Rotary International World President 2006-2007.
A true humanitarian with a pronounced focus on fresh water and literacy, Bill Boyd passed away towards the end of January leaving a legacy for others to follow.
He was born in Christchurch, schooled in Wellington, before moving to Whanganui where his parents had purchased a bookshop, and then Hamilton to a new bookstore.
With so much literature at hand, Bill set himself a goal to read 100 books a year.
He attracted the attention of publishers and distributors Gordon and Gotch and was invited to go to Wellington where he became magazine department manager, progressing to New Zealand circulation manager, and then to Wellington branch manager.
In 1985, Bill and his family moved to Cockle Bay due to his promotion with Gordon and Gotch.
Bill joined the Wellington Rotary Club in 1971, became president of the club in 1978, and followed on to become district governor for the lower third of the North Island in 1983.
On the family’s move to east Auckland, he transferred his membership to the Pakuranga Rotary Club in 1985 where he continued until his passing.
Due to his involvement in many aspects of Rotary, Bill was appointed a director of Rotary International and elected to World President for 2006-2007 at a convention attended by 45,000 attendees in Chicago, USA.
He conversed with many world leaders. During this time, Rotary was determined to be a major part in ridding polio from the endemic countries around the world and was able to negotiate with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which donated more than $200 million to the cause.
Rotary worldwide is made up of 1.16 million members in 36,500 clubs.
Literacy was Bill’s passion and through a trust set up in his and his wife’s name, around 230,000 copies of the Usborne Illustrated English Dictionary have been distributed by Rotary clubs to Year 5 children in New Zealand’s low-decile schools – worth approximately $7 million.
Alphabet packs are presently being distributed to Year 1 students through this trust.
During a lifetime one meets many people, and many good people.
It’s a rare privilege to meet a great person. It was indeed, to many, a privilege to have known Bill, for he was a great man.
- By Alan Davies, Pakuranga Rotary Club
