Obituary: Luther Dennis Boykin
Luther Dennis Boykin, 77, passed away on June 7, 2026, at his home in Kinston, North Carolina. The son of Luther Condary Boykin and Tessie Watson Boykin, Dennis was born on April 6, 1949, in Wilson County, and lived a life filled with dedication to his work, his family, and his love of the outdoors. Dennis spent his early years working on the family farm barning tobacco and that is where he first learned to fish and hunt with his uncles.
Dennis graduated from East Carolina University with an undergraduate and master’s in business administration. He worked at Lenoir Memorial Hospital in Materials Management for 38 years, where he was loved by all who knew him. For his retirement, his family, friends, and co-workers gave him a surprise party, and Dennis, never one to celebrate himself, was not only surprised but touched by the gesture of love and recognition.
While Dennis truly had a passion for his work, after retirement, he was able to focus more on the things that he loved most and lived life to the fullest for the last 10 years. If you didn’t know where Dennis was, nine times out of ten he was either playing golf with his buddy Red at Falling Creek or he was out fishing in a tournament with his dear friend Jimmy. If he wasn’t in either of these locations, he was probably watching these sports on TV from the comfort of his man cave, surrounded by his fishing trophies. Dennis was a true outdoorsman, spending hours tending to the vegetable garden that he and his wife built together, slowly compiling a small investment in Lowe’s gardening supplies.
In addition to his love for the outdoors, Dennis had a tremendous passion for sports and channeled that passion into coaching baseball. He coached little league baseball throughout the years his daughter Jenny was playing and even for a few after, leaving a lasting impact on youth baseball in Kinston.
While Dennis was a quiet man, never the loudest or most boisterous voice in the room, his friends and family appreciated his soft-spoken demeanor. He could spend hours catching up with his dear friend Dr. Preecha or sit with you in comfortable silence while watching a fishing tournament on TV. Most importantly, Dennis loved his family dearly. Whether it was sitting through hours of dance recitals and swimming meets to support his granddaughters or receiving hugs from his granddaughter Raelyn when she wouldn’t hug anyone else, he loved to support and celebrate them.
He truly lived his life to the fullest, and he will be dearly missed by all those whose lives he was able to touch.
He is survived by his wife, Kay Oakes Boykin, whom he loved dearly; his children, Dennis Joseph “Joe” Boykin (Shiori), Jenny Boykin (Ashley), Ted Douglas Sauls, Jr (Paula), and Lindsey Scarboro Brown (Corey); and his grandchildren, Kennedy Sauls, Hailey Sauls, Riley Brown, Georgia Brown, Allie Brown, Jack Boykin, Marilynn Boykin, Gray Boykin, and Raelynn Boykin; sisters, Pam Galloway and Debbie Stone (Steve); and special friends, Dr. Preecha of Kinston, Jimmy Hipkiss, Red White, and Johnny Taylor; and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 AM Saturday, July 11th, at The Family Life Center of Free Gospel Church (145 Free Gospel Road, Snow Hill, NC). The family will receive friends following the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorials in Dennis’ memory be sent to a charity he admired that was started by Pro Bass Fisherman Randy Howell: Kings Home, 221 Kings Home Drive, Chelsea, AL 30543.
Condolences to the family are welcome to be expressed at www.taylor-tyson.com
