Gerald "Gary" A. Boulware

Gerald “Gary” A. Boulware, 85, of Minier, formerly of Bloomington passed away September 4, 2022. He was born August 12, 1937, in Fairbury, IL to Elmer Boulware and Wilma (Freed) Boulware. He married Sandra “Sandy” Brown on August 18, 1956 at St Mary’s Church in Bloomington. After 65 years together, she preceded him in passing.

Gary is survived by his children: Allen (Holly) Boulware, Ralph (Krysti) Boulware, Mark (Denny) Boulware, Greg (Susan) Boulware, Karen (Craig) Pieschke; honorary daughter: Dani Krapohl; grandchildren: Gary, Danielle (Fred), Adam (Katie), Nikki, Joshua, Benjamin (Jessica), Amanda, Angela (William), Jason, Chandler (Sarah), Tim, David, Jacob, Jesse (Marian), Tyler; great-grandchildren: Karissa, AJ, Mikeala, Leo, Violet, Scarlet, Vanessa, Eva, Logan, Liam, Maleah, Haley, Annabelle, Ronan; siblings: Nancy (Burt) Grusy, Sherry Farley, Jim (Liz) Boulware, Jeannie Murphy, Johnny (Sandy) Boulware, Kirk (Nancy) Boulware. He is also preceded in death by his parents; siblings: twin Jerald Boulware, Linda Boulware, Dale Boulware; brothers-in-law: Al Farley, Vernon Murphy; sister-in-law: Beverly Beecher Boulware; and daughter-in-law: Nancy Grefsrud Boulware.

Gary graduated from University High School Normal, IL in 1955 and joined the US Navy that summer. After the Navy, he worked in gas stations, factories and a prison before learning the drywall trade. Eventually he started his own company, Boulware Drywall. In 1979, he closed the company and moved the family to Clearwater, FL, where he became a rural route carrier for the US Postal Service. He retired from the Post Office in 2002. Because of health issues, he and Sandy moved back to central IL in 2016.

Gary lived life on his own terms and didn’t really care about what others might have thought. He and Sandy married young and though they had some tough times in their early years, they were committed to each other and worked it out. They relished celebrating in style their 40th, 50th, and 60th Wedding Anniversaries.

Gary taught his kids the importance of family; sticking together and standing up for each other. He enjoyed playing cards and board games and shared that enthusiasm with his kids and grandkids, teaching them the strategies needed to win. He taught his kids and grandkids the “fine arts” of lining up a pool shot, massaging a pinball machine, and figuring the odds at the horse and dog tracks and poker. He was well read (including the 1959 24-volume set Encyclopedia Britannica and the annually revised World Book Encyclopedia) and encouraged his kids to read books, and watch plays and movies with life-essential themes. He shared his love for the outdoors, teaching his kids to hunt and fish and taking grandkids on camping trips. His twin mottos of “if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it right” and ”if it was easy, anyone could do it” were often repeated and taken up by his kids. His greatest accomplishments were his marriage and raising five good kids.

Gary was passionate about the Cubs and Bears and later living in Florida adopted the Devil Rays and Buccaneers. He loved the warm winters of Florida and quickly adapted to beach time. He was thankful the Cubs waited until he moved back to Illinois to win the World Series. He enjoyed all things history and science fiction. His taste in music was old country to early rock & roll, but he really enjoyed the humorous songs of Ray Stevens and Jerry Reed. He enjoyed listening to a good comic who could be funny without being vulgar. His best trip was traveling throughout England, visiting the cities and historical sites. He found the pubs and the locals more interesting than the castles and museums.

Gary was one-of-a-kind. He and Sandy are together again. They are deeply loved and missed. We have the hope in Christ that we will all be reunited again.

Cremation rites have been accorded. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated by Father Mike Adrie at St Joseph Catholic Church, Hopedale, IL on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 10:00 am. Visitation is at the East Lawn Funeral Home, Bloomington, from 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm with a light lunch.

Finally, the family extends a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Hopedale Nursing Home for their exceptional and loving care of Gary. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Hopedale Medical Complex, 107 Tremont Street, Hopedale, IL 61747.

Memories and condolences may be left with the family at: eastlawnmemorial.com