Obituary — Jeanne Elise Kirchhoff Boyd,
April 7, 1941-July 9, 2024
CLAYTON, CA (July 21, 2024) — Jeanne Elise Kirchhoff Boyd, a beautiful loving wife, mother and grandmother, left this world on July 9 at age 83, after spending the evening surrounded by those she cherished: her children and grandchildren.
In Clayton, Jeanne is perhaps best-known as a co-founder of the Clayton Community Library. Until the 1990s, Clayton had no library of its own. The only way to check out books was to wait for the semi-weekly visits of the county library’s bookmobile, which eventually broke down and was not replaced.
In 1989, Jeanne and other members of the Clayton branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) began working to get a library built for Clayton. Together with Joyce Atkinson, Jeanne wrote numerous grant applications and petitions to state and local agencies to line up the necessary funding and approvals. They also set up the Clayton Community Library Foundation, which organized many used book sales to raise additional funds.
For years, the self-styled “library ladies” persevered, overcoming countless logistical hurdles until the Clayton Community Library finally opened its doors in March 1995. Jeanne and Joyce continued to steward the library foundation for 27 more years.
Born in Huntington, Long Island, N.Y., to Rene and Josephine Kirchhoff, Jeanne spent her childhood in Huntington, Falls Church, Va., and Santa Monica, graduating from Notre Dame Academy High School in Los Angeles.
She attended the San Francisco College for Women (now a part of the University of San Francisco), earning a bachelor’s degree and a teaching credential in 1963. Jeanne later worked for many years as a substitute teacher in the Mt. Diablo School District.
On a ski trip in Lake Tahoe, Jeanne met her future husband, Don Boyd. They married in 1964. In 1971, they moved from San Francisco to the Dana Hills community in Clayton, where they raised their three children, Brooks, Kevin and Lynn. She supported them with countless rides, encouragement, teachings and delicious meals. She was a steadfast presence in her children’s lives while also giving them the freedom to learn from their failures.
Jeanne was passionate about food and cooking and was constantly on the lookout for new recipes, cooking tips and tricks. She took pride in having a well-organized kitchen with just the right gadget for every task. She inspired a similar passion for cooking in her children and grandchildren, and she was always ready to point out how they might improve their techniques.
Jeanne loved the outdoors and had a special affinity for hiking and fly fishing. In her younger years, she enjoyed camping and backpacking with the family. She and Don took many summer fishing trips to Alaska, each time returning with multiple coolers packed with pounds and pounds of salmon and halibut. After Don’s death in 2012, Jeanne remained an active member of Diablo Valley Fly Fishing Club.
Jeanne and Don traveled the world, learning about the cultures and places of Asia, Africa and South America. Jeanne took each of her six grandchildren with her on a special trip after they turned 10. Destinations included Paris, Costa Rica, Italy and Greece.
Jeanne was a member of Concord United Methodist Church for more than 50 years.
She was active both physically and socially, with a full calendar of volunteering (AAUW, library, Clayton Business & Community Association), bocce league, bridge, book club, gardening, concerts, workouts, hikes and dinners with friends, and celebrating every holiday in themed attire.
Jeanne is survived by her brother, Bob; children, Brooks (Lisa), Kevin (Jenn) and Lynn; and grandchildren Emma, Phoebe, Nathaniel, Nicholson, Vivian and Savannah.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Concord United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clayton Community Library Foundation (by becoming a member) at https://claytonlibrary.org or to Save Mount Diablo at https://savemountdiablo.org.