Eugene Boyer Jr.

1927 - 2022

Eugene Boyer Jr. went home to be with his Lord and Savior Sunday, March 27, 2022. Born Jan. 14, 1927, in Philadelphia, he was the son to the late Mattie Giles and Eugene Boyer. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Allene Boyer; and his siblings, Mamie, Evelyn, Dewy, Grace and Allen. He married his love of his life, Mildred Allene Gaither, April 27, 1959. Together they had two children, Eugene Boyer III and Walden McKinley Boyer. The family moved to Monroeville in June of 1972 and have called Pittsburgh home. Eugene loved his family and was singularly devoted to his wife, Allene. He held her hand as she took her last breath in December of 2021. Eugene loved his country. He served with distinction in both the Occupying Forces in Germany at the end of World War II, as well as the Korean Conflict. He was a superb soldier and leader of men. He rose to the rank of master sergeant first class in just eight and one half years. He was part of the generation that desegregated the US military. He enlisted in a segregated Army and came home in command of integrated troops. He had a lifelong love of aviation and earned his private pilot's license while stationed in Florida in 1952. His love of aviation and specifically designing airplanes, continued well into his 90's until he could no longer hold a pencil to draw. He piloted his last flight in the late fall of 2021. His archive of aviation research and design accumulated over seven decades will be donated to aviation programs at HBCU's around the country. The space race of the 1960's launched his five decades-long career in the aviation and aerospace industry. Eugene worked for aerospace giants including Hughes Aircraft Corporation and Lockheed. He began at US Steel as an engineering draftsman. Following the divestiture of US Steel into USX in the early1980's, Eugene finished his career at US Air. It was his "dream job" because he was surrounded by his passion and love for aviation. Eugene will be laid to rest with his wife, Allene, at the Cemetery of the Alleghenies with full military honors. The small, private family-only service will be held with a memorial to celebrate the lives of both Eugene and his wife, Allene, in the summer of 2022. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Tuskegee Institute General Scholarship Fund. Checks can be mailed to The Tuskegee Institute, Office of Advancement & Development, 1200 W. Montgomery Road, Tuskegee Institute, AL 36087. online donations can be made at: www.tuskegee.edu/give.