Ronald E. Boyer

Ronald E. Boyer, 85, of Watseka passed away at his home on Friday, September 19, 2025. Visitation will be at Knapp Funeral Home in Watseka on Friday, September 26 from 4-6pm. Additional visitation will be held on Saturday, September 27 at 10am with funeral services to follow at 11am at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Woodworth and then burial at the GAR cemetery in Watseka after the service.

Born May 4, 1940 at Paxton Community Hospital to Kenneth and Helen (Troutman) Boyer of Buckley, Ron attended school in Buckley before his family moved to Champaign. Ron graduated from Champaign Central High School in 1958. While he was accepted to Harvard University for both college and law school, he chose to attend the University of Illinois and graduated with a degree in Political Science in 1962 while a member of ROTC. After college, Ron attended the University of Chicago and received his JD in 1965.

After completing his education, Ron served proudly in the US Army from 1965-1969 and was stationed in Korea from 1966-1967. He was honorably discharged in 1969 after achieving the rank of Captain.

Ron practiced law in Iroquois, Kankakee, Ford, and Champaign counties for over 50 years and served as Iroquois County State's Attorney from 1968-1976. Before the state moratorium, he was one of the few lawyers in the state qualified to represent defendants who were eligible for the death penalty.

Ron was married in 1967 to his first wife, Esther Deszcz. After divorcing, Ron luckily met and married the love of his life, Sandra Zeedyk, in 1996. They spent 29 loving years together building a life and home filled with family and friends while raising their grandson, Jordan.

Ron was proceeded in death by his parents and parents-in-law (Lambert and Lorene Zeedyk), siblings (Jack Boyer and Marlene Luecke), and one grandson (Bryant Boyer-Killion). He is survived by two children, Sarah Boyer, Anna Boyer-Killion (John); two stepchildren, Matt Clark (Melody), Michelle Fombelle (Rick); five grandchildren, Jordan Bradford (Jenna), Jacob Clark, Whitney White, Tyler White, Rylee Boyer-Killion; four great grandchildren, Ellie, Ayden, and Jaxon White, and Stone Bradford; four siblings-in-law, Sharon (Dennis) Huber, Duane (Shirley) Zeedyk, Nancy Gerdes-Hibsch, and Lial (Sherri) Zeedyk; and numerous nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind his beloved dog, Phoebe Buffay.

Ron had a lifelong passion for the Cubs and often took the train alone as a preteen from Buckley to Chicago to watch them play. While in law school, he would regularly attend Cubs games and sat in the bleachers where tickets were only a nickel. Ron also loved to watch Illini and Bears games and to attend his children's and grandchildren's sporting events. He was proud his granddaughter, Rylee, will graduate from Central in 2026, his high school alma mater. He loved to travel and went on many cruises and trips to England, Maine, Mexico, Biloxi, and Las Vegas.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Iroquois Memorial Hospice or St. Paul's Lutheran School in Woodworth.

Please share a memory of Ronald at knappfuneralhomes.com.