Charles Raymond "Ray" Boll Jr.

Charles Raymond Boll, Jr. passed away at on April 27, 2012 at Hospice of South Central Indiana Inpatient Facility. He was born on March 29, 1920 in Columbus, the son of Charles Raymond and Hestella Boll.

Ray grew up in Columbus, and graduated from Columbus High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1941, and then joined Cummins Engine Company. He received further electronics training at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when he was called upon to use his skill in the military in World War II. Among his assignments, he served as a radio and radar intelligence officer in General MacArthur's headquarters in the Far East. Following the war, he returned to Cummins and in 1955 was elected an officer of the corporation. The following year he became a member of the Board of Directors of Cummins. During his years at Cummins, Ray served as the Executive Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. He retired from active management in 1982 but continued to serve on the Board of Directors and as a consultant to Cummins until 1989.

He was further involved in his profession by serving on the Advisory Committee of the American Trucking Association Foundation, and the Society of Automotive Engineers. He was named a Purdue Distinguished Engineering Alumni in 1974.

Ray married Mary G. Lortz on November 6, 1943 in a simple military service at the Harvard Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts. She preceded him in death on December 30, 2011.

He was a lifetime member of First United Methodist Church in Columbus and provided leadership in several renovations and expansions of the church. Community involvement was always important to Ray, as he served on the Bartholomew County Board of Aviation Commissioners, the Board of the Columbus Regional Hospital Foundation, Inc. as an honorary lifetime member, the Board of Southeastern Indiana Health Management, Inc., and was treasurer of the Heritage Foundation of Bartholomew County.

He is survived by his son, Charles "Chuck" Raymond Boll, III; his daughter-in-law, Catherine Alford Boll; his granddaughter, Mary Catherine Boll; and his daughter, Cynthia Ann Boll.

A memorial service will be conducted on Wednesday May 2, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Chapel with the Reverend Phyllis Hawkins officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday May 1, 2012 at Myers-Reed Chapel on 25th Street and from 12:30 p.m. to the time of service on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 in the Four Seasons Chapel. Entombment will follow the memorial service in the Garland Brook Mausoleum.

The family expresses sincere appreciation for all of the health care professionals and caregivers involved in Ray's care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Columbus Regional Hospital Foundation, 2400 E. 17th Street, Columbus, IN, or to Hospice of South Central Indiana, 2400 17th Street, Columbus, IN.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-reed.com.