John Sterling Boyden Jr.

John Sterling Boyden, Jr., 88, passed away peacefully at home on June 19, 2026, surrounded by the love of his life, Margery, and other members of his family.

He was born December 11, 1937, to John Sterling Boyden, Sr. and Orpha Amanda Sweeten Boyden in Salt Lake City, Utah. One of his most cherished roles in life was that of big brother to three siblings with whom "Sterling" enjoyed extraordinarily close bonds throughout his life.

An Eagle Scout, his love of horses, fishing and time in the mountains began in his youth, which prepared him to serve twice as an Explorer Scout leader. John graduated from Salt Lake City's East High School, where he starred on the football and wrestling teams and was a student body officer.

A Utah Man through and through, John earned his undergraduate, law school and medical school degrees from the University of Utah. He then completed an internship in surgery at Cornell's New York Hospital in Manhattan, New York. John's love of learning continued throughout his life, and he taught part-time at the University of Utah for nearly 20 years, first as an Instructor in the undergraduate Honors Program and then as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Surgery in the College of Medicine and as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy.

He met Margery in 1963 when they both served as volunteer guides on Temple Square in Salt Lake. Margery had been adamant that she would never marry a lawyer, a doctor or an airplane pilot, so when a certain handsome concurrent law and medical student picked her up for their third date in a private plane that he piloted, she was forced to reassess. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1964. They were blessed with five children whom he dearly loved.

Dr. Boyden was licensed to practice both law and medicine in the state of Utah for over 40 years, and much of his career was spent at the intersection of his two chosen fields representing health care and other clients before state and federal legislative bodies and regulatory agencies. After first working for a few years as an Associate attorney, he was the co-founder, Senior Partner and then Managing Partner of Boyden, Kennedy & Romney, a prominent Salt Lake law firm of its time. He later left full-time firm life for a two-lawyer practice with his brother Stephen, providing John with the flexibility to also pursue his many scientific research interests which culminated in the development of several novel medical device inventions. He served as a Governor and then President of the American College of Legal Medicine, an international professional organization of physicians and attorneys practicing in the medical-legal field. His proudest professional accomplishments included successfully obtaining FDA approval for more than a dozen new drugs and medical devices and helping secure the settlements of several decades-long disputes on behalf of Native American tribal clients. John maintained a strong awareness of cutting-edge technological developments and was a frequent early adopter of emerging technologies such as computers and Geographic Information Systems to assist in his work, including on behalf of the California Medical Association and the California Hospital Association.

Being of service was a lifelong hallmark of John's life. He served his country for a total of eight years in the Utah Army National Guard and in the Utah Air National Guard. A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John fulfilled a two-year mission as a young man in what was then called the East Central States Mission. In later years, he ministered as a Bishop, in a Stake Presidency, on the LOSSA General Board, and as a Patriarch for fifteen years in young single adult stakes based at the University of Utah. John and Marge especially treasured their joint service when he was called as the President of the Church's California San Diego Mission. John and Margery also served together for eight years as workers in the Salt Lake Temple, a highlight bf their lives. He served for many years on the Board of St. Joseph's Villa, a Catholic senior care and skilled nursing facility operated by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. He also spent several years in public service as a Trustee of Utah State University and as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Utah.

John is survived by his wife, Margery, their five children, twenty-three grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren, and his siblings Stephen (Pat) Boyden, Paul (Ann) Boyden and Carmen Pingree (John-deceased).

A celebration of John's life will be held at 12:00 p.m. on June 27, 2026, at the Monument Park Ward, 1005 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108. Friends and family are welcome to pay their respects to the family at a viewing starting at 10:00 a.m.

Interment will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

For those unable to attend the services, you may watch via livestream at the following link: Zoom Link