Obituary of James Ronald Boyce

James Ronald “Ronnie” Boyce, 66, husband of Deborah Green Boyce, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 17, 2020. Mr. Boyce was born in Greenville to Nancy Lou Hipps Boyce and the late James Carroll Boyce. He began his employment with the Donaldson Center Fire Department in March of 1974. He worked his way through the ranks of Firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Chief. Ronnie was promoted to Fire Chief of Donaldson Center Department on July 1, 1991. As Chief, he filled numerous other positions in regional emergency services, such as instructor for both the South Caroline Fire Academy and Greenville Technical College. He was President of the Greenville County Fire Chiefs Association in 2009 and served on the Goodwill Board of Directors from 2012 to 2017. Chief Boyce served as team coordinator for the Greenville County Emergency Response Team Hazardous Materials Division and was a board member for the Greenville Local Emergency Planning Committee; he also served as an executive member of the local Community Awareness and Emergency Response group. Ronnie is very active in his church, First Baptist Church Simpsonville, and has been on several mission trips, including multiple trips out west to “tornado alley”, where he has helped families rebuild after devastating storms destroyed their homes. He loved hunting, fishing and spending time with family and friends at his Edisto Beach vacation home. Surviving, in addition to his wife and mother, are a son, Chris Boyce; a daughter, Lindsay Adams and husband David; a brother, Johnny Boyce and wife Sandy; three grandchildren, Carly Adams, Hope Adams and Logan Adams; and a beloved cousin, Max Hipps. A Celebration of Ronnie’s Life will be 2 o’clock Saturday at 1700-B Perimeter Road, hosted by the Donaldson Fire Department. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. Memorials may be made to the SC State Firefighters Association Foundation, c/o Chief Ronnie Boyce Memorial Scholarship, 111 Westpark Blvd, Columbia, SC 29621 or https://shop.scfirefighters.org/foundation-donation/ (enter “Chief Ronnie Boyce Memorial Scholarship under write a note); or to samaritanspurse.org (click on US Disaster Relief and then click on give – memorial giving and enter Ronnie Boyce).