BANGOR, PRESQUE ISLE and HAMPDEN – John F. Boyle, formerly of Hampden and Presque Isle, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005, as a result of a fall in his home. John was the son of the late William H. and Catherine A. (Mulready) Boyle of Brockton, Mass. John grew up in Brockton, and enjoyed telling stories of his early years in sports at the YMCA where he sparred with Rocky Marciano. After high school he enlisted in the Army Air Corp. He was the Bombardier in the 2nd Bombing group out of Fuggia, Italy in World War II, and was a recipient of the Purple Heart. John flew on a B17 crew captained by Paul D. Dooley. He retired from 30 years of active service from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1973 at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He is a life member of the American Legion. After World War II John enrolled at the University of Massachusetts where he received his bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics and later his master of science degree. During college he was a distance runner and high jumper on the track team, and ran the Boston Marathon. After graduation he worked a short stint as a railroad inspector for agricultural products before he went to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was a potato market news reporter in Presque Isle from 1960 until his retirement in 1984. He required that his family have potatoes with every evening meal. John and his wife Elaine were members of the Spud Shufflers and enjoyed square dancing throughout northern Maine and western New Brunswick. During his years in Presque Isle John was a member of the Knights of Columbus where he was a fourth degree knight and served as grand knight. He particularly enjoyed assisting with the weekly meals the knights sponsored for senior citizens. After moving to Hampden, John served as an Eucharistic Minister at Eastern Maine Medical Center for many years. John was also an avid Boy Scout leader, completing 40 years of service in 2005. He was a recipient of the North Star District Award of Merit. He was a member of the Executive Board of the Katahdin Area Council for the past 16 years. He received the Silver Beaver Award from the Katahdin Area Council in 1978. John was a founding James E. West Fellow to create an endowment for the Katahdin Area Council. He was also an active member of the Catholic Committee on Scouting. John’s great hobby was raising and showing rabbits. He had a strong love for Dutch rabbits, particularly blacks and torts. He showed his rabbits around Maine and New England. One of his proudest moments was when he received the Best Black Dutch award at the annual National Rabbit Breeders Association Show. He also enjoyed serving as a volunteer judge at the Houlton Fair rabbit show for many years. In recent years John enjoyed telling of his military experience to students at the Cole Land Transportation Museum. Recently he had great enthusiasm for meeting the troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan as they passed through Bangor International Airport. He also enjoyed reading to students at Fruit Street School in Bangor. He was an avid fan of University of Maine basketball, and particularly enjoyed the team play of the women. He also develop many sincere and dear friends over the last four years at Boyd Place. John was predeceased by his wife Elaine in 1988; a son, Patrick in 1979; his brother, William in 1988; his sister, Mary in 1997; and son-in-law, Timothy Finnemore. He is survived by his children, Kevin and his wife, Nancy, of Hampden, Kathy Finnemore of Caribou, Mary Anne Koppel and her husband, Thomas, of Bern, Switzerland, Brian and his wife, Lisa, of Brunswick, Maureen of Minneapolis, Minn., and Janet Hope and her husband, Jeff Hope, of Anchorage, Alaska. He has 12 grandchildren, Lindsey and Grady Boyle, Luke and Kate Finnemore, Simon Koppel, Jasmine, Vanessa, Angelica, Carlise and Zachary Boyle, and Colby and Kelsey Hope. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Thursday, at St. John’s Catholic Church, 207 York St., Bangor with the Very Rev. Richard McLaughlin, pastor, celebrant. A memorial gathering, for a continued time of remembrance and refreshments will follow across the street at Boyd Place, 21 Boyd St., Bangor. Arrangements are entrusted to the Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Avenue, Hampden. Please make donations to the John Boyle Memorial Scout Fund in lieu of flowers. Donations may be sent to the Katahdin Area Council, 90 Kelly Road, Orono, ME 04473. Condolences may be expressed through www.hampdengilpatrick.com
JOHN F. BOYLE
