William Boyce, former president of South Carolina Baptist Hospitals Inc., died of an extended illness on Nov. 9 in Columbia at the hospital he led for 30 years. He was 83.
Funeral services were conducted Nov. 13 at North Trenholm Baptist Church, where Boyce had served as deacon, trustee and Sunday school teacher.
Boyce retired in 1987 as presi-dent and CEO of the hospitals now known as Palmetto Health Baptist, with branches in Columbia and Easley.
Boyce, a Williamston native, began work at the Columbia hospital in 1947 as an assistant administrator.
He became president in 1957 and led in transforming what was a two-building, 90-doctor facility on Marion Street in Columbia into a five-building, 600-doctor hospital before his retirement.
Boyce, a graduate of Anderson and Furman universities, was also a leader in introducing advanced medical technology to South Carolina, such as a form of laser surgery and equipment for destroying kidney stones with sound waves.
“He had vision, and he was able to put a plan together to achieve the vision,” said Palmetto Health president Chuck Beaman Jr. in an article in The State newspaper.
Beaman succeed Boyce as head of the Baptist hospitals in 1987, leading the Columbia and Easley facilities to merge as the Palmetto Health chain in 1998.
“He had great integrity, strong character and faith,” said Beaman. “One time I was asking him how he balanced all he did with being active in North Trenholm Baptist Church, and he said, ‘I see what I do (at the hospitals) as part of my ministry.'”
In addition to Anderson and Furman, Boyce also graduated from Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville. He received Anderson’s alumni achievement as well as an honorary doctorate from Furman.
Survivors of 56 years, Gloria Price Boyce, three daughters, six grandsons and two great-grandsons.
Memorials may be made to Palmetto Health Hospice, c/o Palmetto Health Foundation, 9 Richland Medical Park Drive, Suite 600, Columbia 29203.