A native of Luling and resident of Kenner, The Boyd Family Funeral Home owner Linear Brooks Boyd professes herself a proud product of the St. Charles Parish public school system.
Boyd began her journey with Luling Elementary before moving to Carver Elementary, Landry Middle School and, finally, Hahnville High School, where she was an alumnus of the class of 1998.
Boyd grew up with dreams of one day becoming a doctor, at first.
“I wanted to fix and heal the wounded,” she said. “But when I realized long term college and seeing people sick and suffering was not for me, I was drawn in another direction.”
When Boyd was an underclassman in high school, she began to take interest in what would become her eventual career path.
“My grandmother was the first person I heard ever talk about ‘morticians,’” Boyd said. “I had no prior affiliation with this field nor ever knew anyone personally who was an embalmer or funeral director. Actually, it was a field (Boyd’s grandmother) was in fact interested in herself, but she never pursued it. That was the first time I became intrigued.”
Boyd read about it, researched it and was instantly drawn to it.
“I had a new dream, and that was to open my very own funeral home.” She said. “I went as far as visiting a local funeral home in my town, but that was my first encounter with rejection. I was told at the young age of 14 or 15 that this is not a field for women. It was a man’s job, so I was told, and that I wouldn’t experience success. This person didn’t know me at all.”
Boyd said those words have stuck with her ever since, only adding fuel to her fire.
“And it constantly burns to this day,” she added.
Boyd went on to attend Delgado Community College and graduated with an associate degree in Funeral Service Education. Though the road was tough mentally, physically and spiritually, she said giving up or failing was never an option.
“I went through a time in my life that I wondered myself why did I chose to do this,” she said. “God made the answer clear to me. I didn’t indeed choose this. I was chosen to take care of God’s dead and grieving people. I am merely an obedient servant, humbling accepting my calling. A family funeral home opened their doors and afforded me an internship that I was so very grateful to get.”
She went on to excel, working for the two largest funeral home corporations in the Greater New Orleans area, breaking color and gender barriers along the way. Boyd said she went to work early and stayed late, worked on holidays and sometimes took overnight call.
“A career that seems so eerie and cold to most bring warmth to my soul,” she said. “A spiritless body is what most are so afraid of, but making the lifeless have a natural appearance and putting a smile on a widow’s face gives me a feeling of joy and peace.”
Boyd soon met her mentor and future husband, Donavin D. Boyd, who taught her a great deal about the business.
“He is my soulmate,” she said. “We had the same dreams and aspirations in life. He loves the Lord, family and the funeral business as I do. He helped me perfect my weakness and gave me the confidence I needed. He respects me as a woman in this business and taught me how to demand respect from the naysayers.”
The devastation of Hurricane Katrina was a major turning point in the Boyds’ lives. Both were out of a job, living in Atlanta, Georgia when Donavin said he received a revelation that the two should go back home and open their own funeral home.
“Nothing was ordinary anymore,” she said. “Our new mantra was and still is ‘The Ordinary is Off Limits.’ It was our time to do extraordinary things. The city was in disarray, we had nothing more to lose and everything to gain. Donavin and I were married in 2008, but before that, we accomplished our dreams together. Believe in yourself, don’t give up, make your haters your motivators, just when it get harder get stronger, your breakthrough is on the way. Dreams don’t just come true, you have to put in the work.”
The two established Boyd-Brooks Funeral Service on May 1, 2007 with a goal and vision of providing quality services to families at an affordable price. Since the home’s opening, Boyd said they have operated their business efficiently and effectively enough to afford themselves the opportunity to grow and expand to open a second, full service location, The Boyd Family Funeral Home, five times the size, in December of 2009.
She called it “a true testament as to what unwavering faith, God’s favor, determination and hard-work can do when put into action.”
“Our company’s goal is to be the premiere funeral home of choice for families both pre-need and at-need,” she said. “Our services are of the highest quality and are affordable for almost any budget. We endeavor to provide unparalleled service to all of our families by meeting and exceeding your expectations through utilizing our wealth of knowledge and experience to anticipate most of your needs while remaining attentive to your wishes as we aim to personalize, memorialize and internalize the uniqueness of every family, individually.“
Boyd believes The Boyd Family Funeral Home and Boyd-Brooks Funeral Service are destined to become the new household name for funeral service in the Greater New Orleans area, St. Charles, Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes, though competing with other firms that has been around for 100 years or more.
“We are the first generation of blood, sweat and tears who put in the work. A family business, but not just because my mother, stepfather, brother in law and other family members work here, it’s because we make it our business to serve your family and make you feel like family when you leave. We have been told many times how warm, comforting and inviting our facility is.
“I would call that a spirit of peace. Whenever our name is mentioned it has become synonymous with prestige, dignity, reverence, honor, respect, integrity, professionalism and devotion. Families are not hesitant to refer other family members, friends, neighbors and loved ones when in need or before need to experience the comfort which is possible and necessary in meeting with a Staff that is sensitive to your every need. Our objective is to offer you seamless service and make available every option possible based on your decision for a traditional or nontraditional funeral service, cremation or any celebration you choose. We are here to serve you.“
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