In Passing – April 2025

Dr. Roland Boyd Bosma

Social justice activist and educator Dr. Roland Boyd Bosma, 89, of SaddleBrooke, died March 11, 2025, in Tucson. Born Oct. 9, 1935, in Muskegon, Mich., to Alice Van Allsburg Bosma and Roland Bosma, he attended public schools and Muskegon Community College.

During his junior year, Boyd transferred to the University of Michigan, joined Delta Chi, and served as pledge president. In 1956, he earned a B.A. in Education and taught in Redford Union schools near Detroit. He obtained Master’s and Doctorate degrees from Wayne State University, serving in leadership roles with the Michigan and National Education Associations (NEA).

In 1964, Boyd helped end racial segregation in NEA state and local affiliates. Elected to the NEA Board of Directors in 1968, he became coordinator for civil liberties and intergroup relations, and assistant director of the NEA Human Relations Center, which he proposed to advance civil rights within the organization. He continued in these roles for many years, championing equal opportunities for educators and students alike.

He specialized in human and civil rights over nearly four decades with the NEA, partnering with UNESCO, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Council of Christians and Jews, the NAACP, and various state and federal agencies. Boyd addressed issues including child abuse, corporal punishment, discrimination, substance abuse, affirmative action, conflict intervention, and extremist organizations. He served as an in-house civil rights activist, guiding NEA policy on equity and inclusion.

In 1973, Native Americans invited him to Wounded Knee, South Dakota, to help resolve a 71-day occupation. Joined by 12 Iroquois chiefs, Boyd facilitated discussions that led to a White House meeting, preventing violence and ending the standoff.

A prolific writer, he published professional papers and earned multiple awards, including a human rights honor from the United States Committee for the United Nations. He served on national commissions, notably the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission, reflecting his commitment to social justice.

Boyd was the father of six children; four survive—Sue, John, Laurel, and Roland. Roland was his caregiver in his final years. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Madeline, with whom he traveled to 135 countries. His lifelong dedication to equality, education, and global understanding touched countless lives. He will be remembered for his unwavering advocacy, generous spirit, and the lasting impact he made on communities near and far.

 

Robert Harold Whitehead

Robert H. Whitehead, 91, of Tucson, Ariz., died peacefully at home on March 9, 2025, after a long illness.

Robert was born in Salford, Manchester, England in 1934 to Harold and Emma Whitehead. He was educated in Manchester and served in the Royal Air Force before going to work for the Prudential of England.

He immigrated to the USA in the late 1950s when Prudential sent him to New York, then to Montreal and Toronto, Canada. He then moved to San Francisco, Calif., and was employed by Industrial Indemnity Insurance Co. for 30 years retiring as President and COO. Following that he worked as CEO of Hawaii Insurance & Guarantee for 4 years before finally retiring to Tucson.

From childhood, Robert loved sports and played many of them including soccer, cricket, golf and tennis. He was a Manchester United futbol supporter from a young age and continued to follow them currently. He loved the ocean and, with Linda, spent many happy months in Cambria, Calif., after retirement. He also loved the Catalina Mountains and hiking.

Robert was preceded in death by his mother and father and his beloved sister, Sylvia. He is survived by his wife Linda, his niece Eleanor Walsh, his nephews Robert Walsh and Philip Walsh and his grand-nephew Alfie Walsh, all of England, and by his dear sister-in-law Juanise Compton of Beaumont, Texas, and nieces by marriage, Rose Sigler, Deborah Barney, and Donna Wallace.

Services will be private and Robert requested that rather than flowers, a contribution be made to the Nature Conservancy or to your favorite charity.

 

Mary Dorothy Stephens Wilson

Mary Dorothy Stephens Wilson was welcomed to the world on April 10, 1941, in Phenix City, Ala., by her parents Millie Lizzie and Walter Stephens. She left us on March 13, 2025, just weeks before her 84th birthday in Tucson, Ariz., from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. She did as much as she could for as long as she could, fighting every day.

She was known to friends as Dot and Pug to close family. She will be remembered for her love of family, adventurous spirit, and feisty personality. She said she would never live west of the Mississippi or north of the Mason-Dixon line but called California and Maine home before settling in Juneau, Alaska, for 55 years.

Dot is survived by her husband, Jim, of 60 years; their children Michelle (Matt) Creelman, Michael (Michelle) Wilson; grandchildren James, Andrew, and Stephanie Creelman, Caitlin (Isaac) Lopez, Richard Wilson, Ben Shaw; and great–grandson Anthony Lopez. She is preceded in death by her parents and beloved siblings.

Memorial services were held at SaddleBrooke on March 28, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, donations to ALS research would be welcome.