George D. Boice, 87, entered life eternal peacefully at his home on Feb. 3, 2024. He was surrounded by his family, including his three children and Connie, his wife of 63 years.
George was born on Feb. 1, 1937 in his family home in Ellensburg, Wash. the oldest of four children born to William and Kathryn Boice.
The family moved from Ellensburg to Kennewick, Wash. in 1944. Growing up on a farm and an apple orchard meant hard work. When he was just 12 years old, he did a great job running the orchard while his dad was ill. In elementary school George enjoyed Cub Scouts, Sunday school, and singing. He was a proud member of the Kennewick High School class of 1955, participating in FFA and agriculture classes, along with singing in the chorus. He and friends Len Daughtry and Jerry Maloy were the famous potato judging team. George was also involved in stock judging, attending all the local fairs. He enjoyed telling the legendary story of the time he rode his horse Beauty to school and she ended up inside, running the halls of Kennewick High. The administration politely asked him to call them if he needed a ride to school in the future.
When he turned 18, George joined the Air Force. Following his discharge, he worked for the Army Corps of Engineers as a surveyor. In 1959, while sounding the shipping lanes on the Columbia River near Boardman, he met Connie Baker and on June 25, 1960, he and Connie were married at the Boardman Community Church. In 1961 Cynthia Jo was born, followed by Karleen Kay in 1963, and Michael George arrived in 1964. For several years, surveying for the Corps had the family, three small children in tow, constantly relocating from town to town in a 41-foot Rola home trailer. Later they lived in Lewiston, Idaho and Richland, Wash. before purchasing their Kennewick home nearly 50 years ago.
George’s work journey was varied and interesting. He worked on the Alaska pipeline and surveyed throughout the Pacific Northwest, including on the Hanford project, along with being a pipefitter welder with Local 598. He loved sharing his work adventures on the Alaskan slope and the beauty of that region.
Over his lifetime, George participated in many groups including Boy Scout troops in Lewiston and Troop 179 in Kennewick. He taught gun safety classes and ran the shooting range, sang in a barbershop chorus, was a member of the Kennewick First United Methodist Church since 1950, was a youth and adult choir member, attended God Fellows Bible study, and was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He will be remembered as Santa, a role he played for over 30 years beginning with volunteering for the 598 Christmas party.
George was a fourth generation Washingtonian with a passion for the history of this area and for genealogy. His other hobbies were hunting, fishing, canoeing, sailing, flying his airplane, camping, shooting, Dutch oven cooking, and going to fairs, rodeos, and parades.
George was a Christian, singer, man of wisdom, storyteller with a hearty laugh, interactive Santa, and a man who was very proud of his family. His first love was his wife Connie, followed by his children and family, but he also loved his morning coffee on the patio!
George is survived by his wife, Connie; children, Cynthia Bement (Randy), Karleen Jergensen (Gary) and Mike Boice (Kim); seven grandchildren, Brian (Amelia), Jocelyn (Mark), Eric (Emilee), Kevin, Stuart (Rachael), Tyler (Kellee) and Hailey (Kyle); and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, William Boice.
His parents, baby brother, Sonny, and sister, Janelle Goldbloom, preceded him in death.
A private graveside service is planned for Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, with a memorial service planned for Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 11 a.m. at the Kennewick First United Methodist Church, 2 S. Dayton St., Kennewick, Wash.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Kennewick First UMC; the East Benton County Historical Museum, 205 Keewaydin Drive, Kennewick, Wash., 99336; or the charity of your choice.
