An outdoors person who loved his family - obituary of much-loved Lowestoft father-of-two who died after being hit by a train
Darren Boyd pictured with his family - Credit: Archant
A community has been left in shock at the death of father-of-two Darren Boyd after he died when he was hit by a train. Journal editor ANDREW PAPWORTH spoke to his family about Mr Boyd's life.
He went on to work twilight shifts at Nurdin and Peacock cash and carry, where he met his future wife Sharon while she was still studying for her A-levels, telling her: 'I looked at you and saw a ray of sunshine.'
The pair bought their first house together in Daffodil Walk, Lowestoft in 2000, getting engaged in 2003 and marrying the following July. Their wedding on a warm summer's day at Corton Methodist Church was what Mrs Boyd described as 'the perfect wedding for both of us', as it was a great compromise.
The small and quiet service suited Mr Boyd, who did not want a big wedding, while the evening reception with lots of invited guests made Mrs Boyd happy.
After leaving Nurdin and Peacock, Mr Boyd worked as a porter at Morrisons, in Pakefield, from 1998. 'He was a hard worker,' Mrs Boyd said, often going above and beyond the requirements of his job to help the store and customers.
The pair had two children and moved to their current home in Rookery Close ahead of their second child's birth.
Mrs Boyd said he would do anything for them, including not attending football training to go and watch speedboats at Oulton Broad with Oscar on Thursday evenings and watching his daughter skate for hours.
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But his acts of kindness stretched to the wider community. Often, he cleared a nearby road of leaves so that the children did not slip over or get their feet wet.
Mrs Boyd said he was a very active person who loved being outdoors and could often be seen out on his bike. His big passion in life was football, which he played since he was a young boy and was a competitive central defender.
Mrs Boyd said he became a 'commanding presence on the pitch', adding: 'When he was at home he was a worrier.
'When he was on the football pitch, he was in command. He was at his most confident when he was on the football pitch.'
