Boyd A. Smith

SMITH, Boyd A. 2/23/1927 – 8/30/2021 Boyd Aaron Smith was born on February 23, 1927 in Omaha, Nebraska, to Eleanor and Aaron Smith.He had five brothers and sisters, four of whom preceded him in death. As a young man, Boyd worked in the meatpacking industry, giving his earnings to his mother to help support the family.He later worked many years doing construction work.However, some of his most notable accomplishments were as a weightlifter and bodybuilder. Boyd was a weightlifting champion who set and broke many local, midwestern and national records during his career.He performed weightlifting exhibitions for television (KMTV) and performed feats of strength for local audiences, including shouldering train wheels weighing 1,300 lbs.He wasn’t very large but he was a towering giant of strength who could lift more than men twice his size. Boyd was his own man who went his own way, which led to controversy and conflict throughout his life. He was a rebel who went against the status quo.Boyd also demanded respect from everyone and demonstrated, through his physical strength, that he was the equal of any man. He strived for excellence in everything he did and encouraged his children to excel at whatever they did. Although Boyd was one of the strongest men in America, he also had a softer, gentler side. He had a great sense of humor and he loved to hear and tell jokes and tall tales.He also liked to play pranks on the kids.He also loved words of wisdom and other sayings and often relied on them to guide his actions. In his prime, Boyd was handsome, charming and debonair and he was loved by many.Boyd was married twice and had several partners, the unions of which produced many wonderful children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Eight of his children preceded him in death and he grieved terribly for each of them.He was a loving father that did the best he could for his children.He was also a tough disciplinarian who did not spare the rod. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are his true legacy. When it came to feats of strength, Boyd was a great man. However, he had a quick temper and sometimes couldn’t control his anger.He mellowed with age and regretted that he sometimes hurt his loved ones. Boyd was a quietly spiritual man.Many years ago, he heard his friend, Ernie Chambers, teaching Sunday school.Ernie said that salvation could happen instantly, “as quickly as a foot moves from the stirrup to the ground.”Afterwards, Boyd told Ernie that he was deeply moved by the teaching and had accepted Christ as his savior.He didn’t attend church regularly but prayed every day and each night for his loved ones and others. Boyd was preceded in death by his parents, four siblings, four partners and eight children.His homegoing leaves his wife Jennie, his sister Betty, and his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends saddened but grateful for the many years shared with him. Visitation: Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 from 6-8:00pm at Braman Mortuary (72 St. Chapel) Celebration of Boyd’s Life: Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 at 10:00am at Braman Mortuary (72 St. Chapel) Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Park Braman Mortuary (72 St. Chapel) 1702 N. 72 St. Omaha, NE68114 402-391-2171