Charles Folger Boyle

Passed away on Tuesday, January 29, 2019 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, where he was undergoing treatment for congestive heart failure. He was born on May 5, 1926 in Osseo, Michigan the son of Laurence and Gladys (Draper) Boyle. He lived with his Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary while attending the University of Kentucky, graduating from there in 1948 with a degree in electrical engineering. He was married to the love of his life, Elizabeth (Betty) Pauline Boyle on July 11, 1952. He was preceded in death by his parents – Laurence when he was 4 and Gladys in 1995 – and his sister, Elizabeth Ann Owens in 2014. He is survived by his wife and two children, Kevin Charles Boyle (Judy) of Beaver Island, MI and Arlington, VA and Dr. Karen Elizabeth Flachs (Chuck) of Evart, MI; five grandchildren, David and Brian Flachs, Erin, Emily and Ryan Boyle, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. A member of First United Methodist Church in Jackson (where he and Betty were married), Charles was also a Mason, a member of the North Adams Lodge. He was an engineer and inventor by profession and a loving son, husband, father, brother, cousin and nephew by passion, which came first and foremost. He became an underwater acoustics expert as he led teams of engineers at Sparton Corporation in developing sonobuoys, derivatives of which still help protect U.S. Navy ships at sea. He designed and built the family home in Jackson with Betty and the family cottage up north with Betty and his children (and some help form a local building crew). He enjoyed building, restoring and fixing just about anything and was a life-long learner with articles in Physics Today and Acoustics today tabbed on his lamp table when he left home the last time. He loved spending time with his family, especially at the cottage on Arbutus Lake and treasured time with his grandchildren. At his request, cremation has taken place. A memorial service to celebrate his life will take place at First United Methodist Church in Jackson, Michigan on Saturday, March 30 at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, friends who wish may honor Charles’ love of building and support of education with contributions to his son’s robotics team bIrobot at Beaver Island Community School, who named their 2019 FIRST FRC robot “Chaz” in honor of Charles or with contributions to the Charles F. Boyle Scholarship Fund at Northern Michigan University, where both of his children attended college.

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Chas. J Burden & Son Funeral Home

1806 E. Michigan Ave.

Jackson, Michigan 49202