Richard L. Boyle, a longtime resident of Great Neck and parishioner of St. Aloysius Church, passed away peacefully on Aug. 9. He was 89.
Born in 1928 in East Moline, IL, to Catherine Pixley Boyle and Peter Boyle, he was predeceased by his seven siblings, Leo, James, Eleanor, Peter, Catherine, John and William; and his wife, Dolores.
Richard enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served in the Pacific Fleet on the USS Pasadena from 1946 to 1948. Richard then attended Yale University, earning a BA in 1952. After his marriage to Dolores in 1954, Richard earned his LLM from Chicago University School of Law in 1955.
Richard went on to serve in the Navy Reserves, the Army through ROTC at Yale and the Army Reserves for a total of 42 consecutive years of military service. Richard and his family moved to Great Neck in 1960, and he was a resident for more than 36 years.
His military service in the Army artillery took him all over the U.S., developing ammunitions, supply lines, troop support and moving ammunitions. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with double oak leaf clusters in April 1982.
Richard was a proud member of the American Legion Post 160 in Great Neck, the 77th Infantry Division Reserve Officers Association and the Military Officers Association of America.
He was promoted to colonel in 1982 and retired from the USAR on Sept. 7, 1988. In 2008, he was the grand marshal of the Great Neck Memorial Day Parade.
Richard was an underwriter of Surety and Payment Bonds on construction projects in the Far East, Africa and Latin America. He retired from Frank B. Hall & Co. as a CFO in the late ’80s.
His community involvement in Great Neck included the Great Neck school and library boards, the park district and the Great Neck Historic Preservation Club. As a member of the Lakeville Civic Association, he helped establish Lakeville Park. Richard was an avid golfer and history buff.
Richard is survived by four children, Kerry Curran (Dennis), Lisa Mevorach (Jeff), Richard Boyle (Tammy) and Amy Boyle Geisel (Karl); nine grandchildren, Dan Mevorach, Ian Mevorach, Caitlin Mevorach Cooper, Jacob Mevorach, Tracey Curran, Morgan and Arden Boyle, and Matthew and Katherine Geisel; and six great grandchildren, Hannah, Sarah, Tabitha, Maya, Eva and Matthew Mevorach.
Burial of Richard and Dolores will take place on Sept. 7 at 10:30 a.m. at Long Island National Cemetery, 2040 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale, NY 11735-1211.
