Deo Rhodes Boyland

Deo Rhodes Boyland, 84, passed away peacefully in the hospital after a short illness.  She was surrounded by her loving family.  Deo was born June 15, 1931 in Rome, New York.  She was the daughter of F. Joseph "Dusty" Rhodes and Edith Holman Rhodes. After moving with her parents to Oneonta, New York, where Dusty managed a J. C. Penney store, the family grew by two, brothers William Holman Rhodes and Nathanial Holman Rhodes, currently residing in Lexington, MA and Sacramento, CA respectively. During her years at Oneonta High School Deo was involved in a number of activities such as drama and yearbook and served as Editor-In-Chief of the Oneonta High School yearbook for 1949.  She also provided her dad with assistance in his store.  Deo was an outstanding and ambitious student. Following high school Deo accepted a scholarship to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.  After only three years there, Deo was admitted to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry.  There, in Philadelphia, Deo met "the one".  He was a senior dental student named Colum John Boyland.  They dated a relatively short time before both knew they should stay a pair.  Deo and Colum were married July 24, 1953. Both graduated from dental school with their DDS and accompanying Colum's diploma was a draft notice from the U.S. Army.  His first assignment was Mainz, Germany where the newlyweds found time for traveling and skiing in several European countries.  They also began their family there, with Caroline born first, then John. Ft. Jackson, South Carolina was Deo and Colum's next home, where Anne joined the family in 1962.  It was there that Deo and Colum decided he would continue his dental career in the Army.  The next assignment was Ft. Meade, Maryland where David rounded out the family in 1966.  During their time there Deo was active in several officers' wives groups, sang in the church choir and played golf. Deo and Colum's most interesting assignment was Kagnew Station, Asmara, Ethiopia (now Eritria).  Deo continued golfing there and the family took many trips.  Following Kagnew Station Colum was stationed at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts.  He then became Chief of Dental Services at the Pentagon.  The family lived in Alexandria, Virginia where Deo played golf and tennis, as well as sang in the choir at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. After Colum retired from the Army he and Deo moved to Beaufort, South Carolina.  Deo was involved in the local AAUW chapter, the Beaufort Concert series, Coastal Conservation, was a volunteer for Hospice and Meals On Wheels, sang in the Carteret Street United Methodist Church choir, and was a docent at the John Mark Verdier House.  She also continued to be a life-long learner as well as an avid reader, golfer, and tennis player. Deo was predeceased by her husband, Colum John Boyland. She is survived by her two brothers and their wives Bill and Jackie Rhodes and Nat and Sherry Rhodes and four children and six grandchildren:  Caroline Boyland Brice of Charlottesville, Virginia; John Rhodes Boyland and his wife Tammy of Christiansburg, Virginia; Anne Elizabeth Boyland of Charlottesville, Virginia; David Rhodes Boyland and his wife Evelyn of Stafford, Virginia. Her grandchildren are: Aaron Brice, Jacqueline Brice, Jennifer Boyland, Joseph Boyland, Dustin Bowyer and Colum Bowyer.  Deo's beautiful smile and kind heart will be dearly missed by her family...Do go gentle into that good-night... Funeral service will be held at 12 noon Friday January 22nd at Carteret Street United Methodist Church, Beaufort, SC, burial to follow at 1 pm at the Beaufort National Cemetery. Neighbors and friends are welcome to visit at the home between 3 and 6 pm afterwards.  In lieu of flowers, tribute donations may be made to Carteret United Methodist Church, Beaufort, South Carolina or Doctors Without Borders @ www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/ .