SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — Friends and family are remembering a beloved pastor and youth advocate after he died in a car crash over the weekend.
Rev. Willie Boyd Jr., 44, the pastor of Greenwood CME Church in Orange Mound, died after he hit a tree on North Reid Hooker Road near Monterey Road around 7 p.m. Saturday in Eads.
"I was saddened to hear of the loss of Pastor Willie Boyd Jr," Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Sunday. "He was not just the pastor of Greenwood CME Church, but a youth advocate that worked as the homeless and foster care advisor for MSCS. He had a heart for our underserved populations and didn't hesitate to respond to help us feed the homeless and hungry during Thanksgiving with MemFeast. My deepest condolences to his family. It's a tremendous loss to our community."
Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Toni Williams took to Twitter Sunday to share her thoughts.
"My prayers are with the family of Pastor Boyd Jr, members of the Greenwood CME Church, and our MSCS family," Williams said. "Pastor Boyd supported our MSCS special population students and families. We welcome reflections in hopes it will comfort his family in the days to come."
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said the crash is under investigation.
