An active firefighter in his early years, he was a life member of both the Maugansville and Smithsburg volunteer fire companies and had served as president of the Smithsburg company. He was a member of the Smithsburg Historical Society.
Having worked as a professional umpire, he was a past member of the Washington County Umpires Association.
A political activist, Boyer was a proud member of the Democratic Party and the American Civil Liberties Union. He was chosen for the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 by The Democratic Central Committee of Washington County.
As an ecologist, he was a "tree-hugging" member of the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, and the National Parks and Wildlife Association.
In his retirement, he operated Professor Boyer's Book Bank, a used book store, in Smithsburg for several years.
He was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Billie Sue Boyer; his daughter, Brooke Suzanne Potts and husband Brian of Waynesboro, Pa.; his two sons, Truman Parks Boyer of Hagerstown, Md., and Jefferson Parks Boyer of Whitehaven, Md.; his three sisters, Lorraine Lewis of Maugansville, Thelma Oldham of Smithsburg and Carol Findley of Hagerstown; one grandson, Ethan Lee Potts; and two stepgrandsons, Connor R. and Benjamin A. Potts.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Betty Lewis, and two brothers, Charles "Pete" Boyer and Emory "Buck" Boyer.
Services will be Saturday, May 22, 2010, at 11 a.m. from Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown, MD 21742, with the Dr. Renee Mackey officiating.
Family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 21, and will also receive friends one hour prior to the services on Saturday.
Interment will be private and at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to the Faculty Scholarship Fund, c/o Hagerstown Community College Foundation, 11400 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21742 or to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 11833 Greenhill Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21742.
Online condolences may be expressed at http://www.douglasfiery.com.
