Donald S. “Don” Boyer, of Jonestown, passed away on Saturday, August 8, 2020, at home on the eve of his 94th birthday. He was the husband of Shirley A. Waltermyer Boyer. On July 25th, they celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary.
Don was born in Kuling, China, on August 9, 1926, where his parents, Rev. Walter S. and Miriam I. (Haas) Boyer, of Easton, PA, were serving as missionaries. Don was deeply proud of his eastern Pennsylvania heritage as the seventh generation of his original German descendants dating back to 1752.
Don was a member of the Class of 1944 at Lebanon High School and served in the U.S. Navy V-12 program during WWII. Don graduated from Muhlenberg College in 1949 with a degree in education, where he was a varsity wrestler and captain of the varsity soccer team. In 1967, he returned to Muhlenberg to serve as Head Soccer Coach for one season and led the Mules to a then school record, 10-2 campaign.
Throughout his life, Don was always very active in his community, including coaching youth sports, organizing soccer clinics, serving as a mentor with Junior Achievement, a member of Kiwanis and Free Masons, a Boy Scout leader, a YMCA Board, a church deacon, and a lay preacher. Don enjoyed staying physically active as a referee for high school and collegiate soccer and wrestling for over 40 years to the age of 77. He truly lived up to his longstanding motto of “It’s better to wear out than to rust out!”
Professionally, Don worked for over 35 years with ARCO in petroleum sales and sales management. He was also the Administrative Manager of ARCO’s Executive Training Seminar in both Aspen, CO and Santa Barbara, CA. Before retiring from ARCO in 1985, he returned to the Philadelphia area, where he was Administrative Manager of ARCO Chemical Company’s 67 nationwide offices. He later joined Pipeline Petroleum of Macungie, PA, where he spent several more years before retiring from the petroleum industry.
Upon moving to Jonestown, Don immediately became involved in all aspects of the community. He was a member of the Ono United Methodist Church, where he had taught Sunday School for young adults. He was very involved with Promise Keepers, the church choir, and was instrumental in beginning the church orchestra, along with many other youth activities. Don also served as the Jonestown Borough Council President and was active in the Jonestown Crime Watch. One of Don’s greatest joys was serving as a substitute teacher for various schools in the county after his retirement from the oil industry. He was loved by the students and was an encourager for young people, attending many high school sporting events. Don taught school to the age of 89. Don’s lifelong commitment to serving and coaching youth earned him the endearing nickname of “Coach.”
In addition to his wife, Don is survived by his sons David S. Boyer and his wife Joanne of Devon and their daughter Heather-Ashley of Philadelphia, and Michael R. Boyer of Powell, WY and his son Colin of Pacific Grove, CA; the mother of his sons Dolores “Dee” Boyer of Pebble Beach, CA; step-children Dale and his wife Deborah Zimmerman of Schaefferstown, Brenda wife of Thomas Sprecher of Lebanon, Barry Zimmerman and his companion Chriselda Rodriguez of Blackfoot, ID, Lori wife of Anthony Tribioli of Lebanon, Fred and his wife Tammy Zimmerman of Lebanon, and Bradley Zimmerman and his companion Heather Shindel of Jonestown; sister Jean E. wife of Robert Stokes of Cornwall; 19 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
A private memorial service will be held at Ono United Methodist Church at the convenience of the family with interment at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to his church at Ono United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 126, Ono, PA 17077.
