Boyd Jessie

Article by Cheryl Brink
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August 2, 2012

At 95 years of age, Jessie Boyd works on a manuscript of her book, Still Kicking but not as High, which she plans to launch on Aug. 18, 2012

Four years and a couple weeks shy of her 100th birthday, Jessie Boyd has plenty of stories to tell. So many, that she decided to compile them into a memoir of sorts. She plans to have them ready for the world to read the clay after her 96th birthday, in a book titled "Still Kicking - But not as High. ''I realized I was getting older so I better finish it," she said with a laugh.

It's a project she started two years ago, stopping and starting a couple of times before finally buckling down to share her journey. "Our family was very interesting," she said. "And it was a good family.''

Boyd, who has lived in Cornwall for more than 50 years, grew up near Kemptville with nine brothers and sisters on a farm and apple orchard.
Since her mother was never given a full education, ''she made sure all of us went to school,'' said Boyd.

That push helped launch her into a business career, an industry then still dominated by men. "In a world where women couldn't make it .... I made it," she said.

But Boyd said it required her to push back against the powers of the day - efforts that partly inspired the title of her book, along with the fact that she has always kicked the toes out of her shoes.

Though Boyd has plenty of proud moments to share in her book, the writing process wasn't always an easy one. "I get emotional," she said. "You're reliving it, and there's some things you'd rather forget" 'But even during hard times in the '30s, Boyd finds positive memories. ''I never saw my mom refuse anyone," she said. ''We didn't have anything; but we were happy.'' She said that giving reflex, instilled from an early age, is what inspired her to donate all of the proceeds from the book to World Vision, an organization she has supposed for decades. "I've always been interested in feeding hungry children,'' she says. We were raised to be givers.''

Though she doesn't have a goal in mind for sales and donations, she said she hopes the gesture of passing on the revenue to those in need will become a sort of legacy.

"It's for a cause.'' she said. Boyd squeezed penning her stories in between playing music, swimming and her other numerous activities. At 95, she still lives alone and drives her own car. "I'm very busy," said Boyd, noting that she spends a lot of time playing bridge and painting - two pastimes she didn't pick up until her 70s. I was bored when I got out of the business world," she explained. "My life is full, from the time I get up to the time I go to bed. I feel blessed.'' It's a life that has seen an incredible amount of change and progress over the years, and Boyd said she's tried hard to keep up. "First in my life, it was all agriculture,'' she said."Then we had two wars. Now it's all computers. It's rolling so fast.''

Boyd said she began the telling of her own history as away to join the network of data and story sharing. "I thought everyone was writing a book.
It seems to be a world of information now!'

She said a friend helped with editing and local publisher Dean Swift put the manuscript together. "Dean was a big help."

The book launch is scheduled for August 18I. Those interested in attending or purchasing a copy can contact Boyd at 933-7125. Though she doesn't have any plans to keep writing, Boyd has plenty of other pursuits to keep her busy.

"I just love every day that I have," she said cheerily. "Life is good - that's my saying!''