David Boyer

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David Neal Boyer, formerly of Herculaneum and Kirkwood, MO, passed from this life on November 13, 2020.  David was born on February 20, 1935 to Cornelius John (later, John Neal) Boyer and Lucille Faye Partney Boyer in Kimmswick, MO.  He had a “three-letter” sports career at Herculaneum (MO) High School, where he starred in football, basketball, and track, as well as in amateur dramatics, and boxed in regional Golden Gloves competitions.  He briefly attended Southeast Missouri State University, later returning to school, earning a BA with honors from Tarkio College in 1978.  He also served in the Missouri National Guard.  He married Bonnie Sue Glaze in June, 1955.  Their first two children, Desiree Michelle and David Neal II, died in infancy.  Following Bonnie’s death in May, 1978, he married Mary Patricia Aten in June, 1979.  Prior to his first marriage, he joined the then-McDonnell Aircraft Corp. as a “rivet boy.”  By the time he took early retirement, he had risen to the rank of Vice-President for McDonnell-Douglas Helicopter Co.  Highlights of his career as an aerospace engineer included work on the design team for the inertial guidance system of Project Mercury and Project Gemini for McDonnell Aeronautics and serving as McDonnell-Douglas Aircraft’s representative in England for three years during the USAF/RAF joint F-4 project.  He finished his active career with jobs at Grimes Aerospace (VP/TQM & Engineering), Speco Corp (Director of Quality), and Goss Graphics Systems (Manager of Manufacturing).  Over the years, he served several Baptist churches as a Deacon, Sunday School teacher for adults, and choir member and won awards for his work with Explorer Scouts.  He was a lifelong sports fan, particularly of the St. Louis Cardinals.  “Dave” was predeceased by his parents, both of his wives, and all of his siblings (Nyla (Thomas) Reece, Shirley Nadine (Edwin) Bullis, Robert Barry (Bonnie Glee) Boyer) as well as great-grandchildren Isaac Lee Gonzalez and Amelia Rose Bryant.  He is survived by children Rev. Mark Christopher (Constance) Boyer, Bonnie Suzanne Boyer, Therese (Todd) Asmus, and John Neal Boyer, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.