Birth date: Feb 19, 1957 Death date: Mar 9, 2024
Jeffrey “Jeff” Richard Boyles born February 19, 1957 lived a rich and fulfilling life, filled with passions for sports, literature, and adventure. His journey as a young boy; enjoying things such as reading, drawing, Scouts and sp Read Obituary
I first met Jeff in Sunday School at the First Congregational Church and we became classmates at Hunt Jr High and Wilson HS. You always knew when big Jeff came into class. He was a presence and the nicest guy you’d ever meet. Imagine my surprise when, years after not seeing him, I heard his booming voice at a Tacoma Rainiers game. We got a chance to catch up and I’m glad we did. Godspeed my friend
It's hard to believe Jeff is gone; 66 is much to young, but I guess Jeff didn't want to live without his beloved Cheryl. I don't go back as far as Kevin Woodruff does; but I first met Jeff as we were both in the Order of the Arrow in Boy Scouts. Going to Camp Hahobus on Hood Canal, for the OA Tapouts & Work Weeks where we could stay in the staff cabins (That's kind of ironic that as OA were supposedly the Boy Scouts "Honor Campers", that we could use the staff cabins). I can remember as I was working out in prepqration for the wrestling team durind football season helping Jeff get to his locker in the almost-empty Wilson locker room the day he had torn up his knee on the practice field (just Jeff's luck, not in a game, a very uncerimonious injury, LOL). I, too, lost track of Jeff when I was following my wanderlust; but after the numerous Coug games in the late 70's, the last Coug football game he & I saw together was the rainy 2016 41-38 loss to Stanford in Martin Stadium. I'll never forget the freshman year 1975 Apple Cup in Fuskie Stadium where Warren Moon, Spider Gaines, & Al Burleson snatched victory from the jaws of defeat 28-27 (I was a freshman at Green River CC, so that was the last time I will ever root for the Fuskies. I said nothing to Jeff that day.). But thanks to Jeff; I hitched a ride with him to visit Pullman 10 months later, during registration week, & made a snap decision to register. late for sophomore year as a Coug. I don't know how many times Jeff & I sang "we won a moral victory" at the end of losing game in Martin Stadium & then we'd "drown our sorrows". Me being pretty ignorant of soccer rules, I still remember seeing more than a few Sounder-WhiteCap and SuperSonic games (and one Coug-USC Trojan football game where Ricky Bell beat Jack Thompson & Mike Levenseller) in the Kingdome bracketed by trips to FX McCrory's for beer. We also drank more beer (& ate more super nachos in 78) than either of us should have watching both SuperSonics-Bullets NBA Finals in 78 & 79. While rooming together in Chinook Village (Q78) in the 78 - 79 school year, our campus-wide parties & Sunday BBQ's EVERY Spring Sunday didn't help our grades AT ALL; but what the heck, they sure were fun! I believe it was the Fall of 1978 when I decided to make some "magic brownies" with some of KL's (initials are used here to maintain some anonymity) homegrown "Ollalla Gold" so Jeff could simply eat & didn't have to smoke (green specs were throughout the brownies, so there was no doubt that the herb was there). And since our Spring 79 roommate, Al "Horshack" Fisher, was the Varsity coxswain, & I decided to start rowing; Jeff was the Cougar Crew "Designated fan" I won't ever forget the many trips as a passenger in a demo Monte Carlo (one particular evening snowy trip on Highway 26 when we saw the Northern Lights) or the dinners that Jeff's Dad, Dick, paid for me either after a Joe Albi football game and the 1976 Labor Day Dinner Show where we saw Ray Charles (& the Raylettes) at the Ocean Shores Inn trip where Mike Russell & I slept in the back of my GMC pickup. Jeff always joked that if he ever wrote his memoirs, he'd have to title it "Wrong Turn At Washtucna"; maybe since Jeff didn't copyright that title, maybe I can use it. Well, this is getting way too long, so I'll close by paraphrasing others have ended with "RIP, Jeff. You will be missed".
Jeff, I knew upi as a gentle soul in a football player's body.
I played soccer with Jeff on the old Henry's Bakery soccer team and knew him all the way through high school and beyond. Jeff was always a very positive person, and I always enjoyed the time I spent with him. RIP my friend you will be missed.
Dave Burmark
