Gerald A. Boyle

1923 - 2011

Gerald Albert Boyle, 87, died March 22, 2011, at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Gerald was born Dec. 30, 1923, to Joseph and Mary Boyle in Montreal.
In those Depression days, you worked early and hard. Biking to the competitive Montreal business district, he successfully hustled a paper route into a courier service, bringing home needed cash to his family.
The war came early to Canada and all six Boyle boys volunteered for the service. Gerry was in combat, was wounded, and unfortunately, was the sole survivor of his unit.
After the war, being the adventurous sort, he headed to Dawson City, Yukon, to work the gold fields. A lifelong Catholic, in the cold and quiet of winter he cared for elderly miners at the Catholic pioneers home, earning their respect and the love of the sisters and Dawson residents alike. This was the beginning of his lifelong commitment to volunteerism that lasted until his final years.
Loving the north and following the gold, Jerry emmigrated to Ester to work on Gold Dredge No. 10.
While visiting his mother in Montreal, he met Ruth Mary Loveridge, of Oxford, England, a language teacher at an all-girls school. Engaged in three weeks, he couldn't convince her to move to the wilds of Alaska for two years. When he finally did, she set up housekeeping in Ester, and adopted all the stray dogs in town. Three kids, Andrew Michael, Alan Gerald and Edward Thomas soon stopped that.
An opportunity opened at the Fort Wainwright power plant and for more than 25 years Gerry was a coal plant operator, husband, father, Knights of Columbus member and Fairbanksan. In 1967, Gerry gave his kids a special treat when he played human ferry, carrying them to safety on his shoulders in waist-deep floodwaters.
Gerry was fortunate to accomplish much in his long life. He was many things; he was the type of son who bought his mother a house and helped his brothers and sister obtain theirs; he made it possible for his brothers and sister to obtain advanced educations, and then went on to do the same for his sons and grandchildren; he was unfailingly kind and helpful to others, especially to those down on their luck - he could bag sack lunches at the soup kitchen with the best of them.
Did we mention Boyle's Hostel? Gerry's final years were brightened by the ebb and flow of international backpackers to his hostel on 18th Avenue. "Northern lights! Northern lights!" they'd shout at 3 in the morning. It kept him young.
The one thing everyone will remember about Gerry is that he was constantly in motion - the image of him riding his bike around town into his late 70s will not soon be forgotten.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Daniel, Michael, Bernard, Aloysius and Patrick; and sister, Rita.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth Boyle; sons, Andrew, Alan and Edward and their spouses; and grandchildren, Aaron, Selah, Brian and Dennis.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m., Saturday, June 18, at Immaculate Conception Church. A reception will follow in Murphy Hall.
Arrangements were by Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.