Boyden Lee

Dr. Boyden Edward Lee passed away on September 24, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is survived by his beloved wife, LaVona, their 4 children, Sheron Newman, Ronald Edward Lee, Sandra Boom, and Debbie Joanne Allred, 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Boyden was born on March 27, 1935, in Cardston, Alberta, Canada to Lester Boyden W Lee and May (Coffin) Lee, a prominent farming family in the area.

Boyden began his schooling in a small one-room schoolhouse in the rural community of Jefferson, Alberta, Canada. In due time, Boyden attended the Cardston High School where he graduated in 1954. Always active in sports, especially basketball, Boyden was a member of the Cardston High School basketball team in 1954 when they won the Alberta high school basketball championship.

In 1960, Boyden earned a BS degree from BYU with a major in Economics and minors in accounting and mathematics. He also earned an MA degree in Economics from the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) in 1969, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Manchester (England) in 1972. He did additional graduate work in International Economics at the University of Montana, and also earned professional high school teaching credentials from the State of Utah and the Province of Alberta. On March 19, 1959, Boyden married LaVona Smith, of Provo, Utah, in the Manti Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Following his graduation from BYU, Boyden worked with the Bank of America in Los Angeles for several years but then returned to his native country, Canada. The couple made their home in Calgary, Alberta for several years where Boyden taught economics at Mount Royal Community College. They eventually moved to Ottawa, Ontario where Boyden worked for many years with the Bank of Canada, where he served as a consultant on international and domestic monetary affairs. During most of these years, Boyden also taught evening classes in economics at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

In 1980, Boyden joined the faculty of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico and retired from that institution as an associate professor of finance after nearly 20 years of successful teaching and research. He was a frequent guest lecturer at the Western States School of Banking in Albuquerque, New Mexico as well as at other professional meetings. After retirement, Boyden and LaVona moved to Salt Lake City where he taught economics for several years at BYU's Marriott School of Management and at Utah Valley University. He also taught summer school courses in Finance at the University of Central Punjab, in Lahore, Pakistan, for a number of years.

Boyden was always active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held various teaching and administrative positions over the years. From 1955 - 1957 he served as a missionary in the South Australia Mission.

In 1974, Boyden was called as the president of the Ottawa Ontario District of the Church where he served several years, and later he was called as the first president of the newly organized Ottawa Ontario Stake, which included some 3000 members scattered between Ottawa, Montreal, and Northern New York State. At that time, it was said to be the largest stake (geographically speaking) in the Church.

After moving to New Mexico, Boyden served for many years in the Las Cruces New Mexico Stake Presidency, both as second and first counselor, and then as president of the Las Cruces New Mexico Stake for many years.

From 1997 - 2000, Boyden and his beloved wife were called to preside over the Australia Sydney South Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After completing this assignment, the couple retired and became Temple Ordinance workers for many years in the Jordan River Temple and the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple.

In 2006, Boyden and LaVona were called on a humanitarian mission to the Russian and Eastern European Area (EEA) as Area Welfare Specialists of the Church, with headquarters in Moscow.

The couple's missionary service was not quite over, however. Following their Russian Mission assignment, they were called on a CES (Church Educational System) Mission for a year and a half to teach LDS Institute classes to University of Hawaii students and their friends. They also supervised some 40 early-morning seminary classes on the island of Oahu.

Between these missions, and extending long into his retirement years, Boyden served as a Patriarch in his stake and LaVona served as his transcriptionist. This was a long and heavy assignment, but they have always loved working together and they did enjoy this calling very much.

Boyden's hobbies included travel (domestic and foreign), current events, investing, reading, and poetry. Boyden and LaVona have traveled extensively overseas and throughout the US and Canada. At last count, they had visited in excess of 40 different countries. He also enjoyed playing his trumpet during his years at Cardston High School, and in the BYU Marching Band. He also loved to memorize and had committed to memory many famous poems, documents, and innumerable scriptural passages.

Boyden was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend, and he will be missed by all who knew him.

Funeral services will be held in the Wakefield Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 6567 South Wakefield Way, West Valley City, Utah at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 27, 2025. A viewing will be held at the McDougal Funeral Home located at 4330 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville, Utah from 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Friday, September 26, 2025. Another viewing will be held beginning at 10:00 AM, preceding the funeral services.

Interment will be in the West Jordan City Cemetery located at 1300 West 7800 South in West Jordan, Utah.