Rodney Francis Boyer, of Wilmington, Delaware, died on March 8, 2023, just shy of his 98th birthday, at home in the care of his loving children.
Rodney was the younger brother of Alec, Nolan, and Harry Boyer, all of whom pre-deceased him. After graduating from P.S. Dupont High School in 1943, he served as a pilot in the Army Air Forces until his honorable discharge in October 1945. Soon thereafter, he was introduced to Mary Sadowski at a dance at the Armory near St. Anthony’s parish. They were married on August 31, 1947, and raised five children.
Rodney set an example as a husband and father by his hard work to support his family. He delivered milk for Sealtest dairy for many years. When the home-delivery business faded in the 60s, he joined the DuPont Company as a textile technician at the Chestnut Run facility. He and Mary retired on the same day in 1989, and were inseparable the next sixteen years until her death in 2005.
Rodney’s other great love was golf. He learned the game as a caddy at Rock Manor, carrying clubs for the likes of Porky Oliver, and went on to win the club championship there in 1949. He was also a gifted teacher. Due to family commitments, he turned down offers to become a golf professional, but he taught his children, grandchildren, and anyone who sought his help. He continued to play the game well into his 90s. He also enjoyed playing the piano, self-publishing a “small book,” Learn Piano Chords Easily, in his 80s. And wherever he went, he made people laugh with his great sense of humor.
Rodney is survived by his five children: Jeanne, of Astoria, Oregon; John (Brooke), of Raleigh, North Carolina; Matthew (Mary) of Wilmington; Alec (Jahnava), of Potomac, Maryland; and Philip, of Wilmington, who lived with and cared for Rodney during the last thirteen years of his life. He is also survived by seven grandchildren (Nathan, Rebecca, Florence, Evan, Patrick, Christopher, and Matthew) and four great grandchildren (Carl, Emilia, Patrick Joseph, and Elizabeth).
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