[1] In August 1965 Boys joined a Roman Catholic women's religious order, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

In 1969 Boys completed a BA in Religion and Humanities at Fort Wright College of the Holy Names in Spokane, Washington and began her teaching career as an instructor in Religion and in English at the Holy Names Academy in Spokane.

While there she wrote voluminously, garnering a reputation as the key Catholic scholar in the field of religious education who was engaging issues of Jewish/Christian understanding.

Boys began her research in the field of religious education by engaging historical critical biblical scholarship, which was only then beginning to have an impact in the Catholic context due to Vatican II.

In addition to numerous articles, chapters, and public lectures she became deeply involved with the Association of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education.