Sunday, May 5, 2024
Stephen Boynton
Longtime firefighter Stephen Boynton, who in January was appointed as chief emeritus of the DeCordova Bend Estates/Acton Fire Department, died Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Boynton, 60, “went to be with the Lord on September 6, 2022, at around 9:30 p.m. surrounded by his family and close friends in his home,” according to his obituary on the Wiley Funeral Home website.
The funeral service, is set for 2 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 10, at Acton Baptist Church. Visitation was set for 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9. Burial will be in Acton Cemetery.
Boynton, who was born Oct. 13, 1961, had been a Granbury resident since the age of six and was a 1980 graduate of Granbury High School.
He began his distinguished career as a firefighter at age 18 at the DCBE/Acton Volunteer Fire Department, where he served in various roles over the years including EMT, officer and rescue diver. In January he was appointed as the chief emeritus, and continued to serve as a firefighter for as long as he was able, into early summer. The DCBE/Acton fire station, on Smoky Hill Court, was recently named as the Stephen D. Boynton DCBE/Acton Firehaus 40 in his honor.
Bryan Wooten, who is in his second year as the DCBE/Action fire chief, noted that Boynton had served as the chief from 2015-2020.
“Stephen was a great friend and a great leader — somebody I looked up to and somebody that had an impact on my career in the fire service,” Wooten told the HCN. “The fire service and the community lost a great man.”
Boynton had been employed as a firefighter with the Fort Worth Fire Department for 34 years. He was a lieutenant for the final 24 of those years at Station 18 before retiring from the FWFD in 2018.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sharay Boynton, and their sons, Stone and Slade.
Mack Bennett, a captain with the Granbury Volunteer Fire Department who knew Boynton for more than 50 years, said, “Steve was a mentor to a lot (of) young men in this county, a man of God and had a true servant’s heart. He was just not only a friend, but a brother.”
Bennett added, “Steve touched many lives as a Fort Worth Firefighter, DCBE/Acton Chief and was a ambassador for God. He will be missed by all (who) came in contact with him.”
One of the many posts on the DCBE/Acton Volunteer Fire Department’s Facebook page gave tribute to Boynton in stating, “Stephen was a phenomenal leader and mentor, exceptional friend, and was devoted to our volunteer fire department for over 40 years. We will miss you deeply Chief Boynton, but your legacy will forever live on at Firehaus 40.”
