He was preceded in death by his parents, David and Doris Lee Boyd. He is survived by his wife, Gayle, of Sylva, North Carolina, daughter Shannon M. Lee (Bill) of Burleson, Texas, daughter Heather Love Carswell (Trip) of Whittier, North Carolina, and granddaughters Braely Lee and Flemming Sanders. He is also survived by his brothers David T. Boyd (Cendy) of Summerville, South Carolina, and William L. Boyd (Lana) of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, as well as numerous nieces, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Mike graduated fom Irving High School in 1966 and then enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served as a B-52 mechanic and instructor for eight years. Following his discharge, Mike used his skills as a builder and contractor for several years.

In the early 1990s, he came to North Carolina and enrolled in Western Carolina University’s School of Business. He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees there and completed his Doctorate Degree in Business Administration at Louisiana Tech University. After teaching in Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee, Mike returned to his Alma Mater and became a faculty member in the School of Business at WCU for the remainder of his career.

Mike was a cowboy at heart, but after relocating to the mountains of North Carolina, he came to appreciate their beauty and the people who lived there. After all, he just discovered a different kind of cowboy in them.

Mike was a dedicated volunteer with Habitat for Humanity while living in Tennessee, consistently demonstrating great compassion for those less fortunate. He was a humble, modest, kind man who never felt himself more important than others.

Mike was a hard worker, from construction to laying carpet, to teaching and sharing his knowledge; his integrity and dedication were unmatched. He was a man of many skills and was always ready to share them with others. He could fix any physical house problems that arose and was an expert at remodeling his and Gayle’s homes. He possessed artistic skills as well, as reflected in his fine tooling and design in leatherworks. Always quick with a smile or joke, Mike made friends easily wherever he went, and his distinctive laugh is missed by all.