ROYALTON — R. Thomas Boyer Jr., loving husband and father, 55, of Royalton, passed away Monday, July 7.

Born in Lockport on May 2, 1959, Mr. Boyer graduated from Lockport High School in 1977, having earned his Life Award as a member of Boy Scout Troop 2.

In 1978, Mr. Boyer entered the Air Force, serving as a defense aerial gunner and pavements maintenance specialist. He earned the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and the Humanitarian Service Award, among others.

From 1977 to 2007, Mr. Boyer worked at the Lockport GM Plant. He married his wife, Valerie (nee Moore), in 1991.

Mr. Boyer took a leave of service in1982, and joined the Air Force Reserve in 1990 as a loadmaster on C-130s. During his time in the Air Force Reserve, he was deployed several times overseas including to Bosnia, Sarajevo, Kosovo, and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2007, after attending school in Little Rock, Arkansas, he became a flight engineer later becoming an instructor. Mr. Boyer was due to retire from the Air Force Reserves at the end of this year.

In addition to his thousands hours of flight logged in the Air Force and Reserves, Mr. Boyer enjoyed flying his Cessna 150. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting. In June, he went on a bear hunt in Quebec, Canada, with his son, Scott.

He was a member Red Jacket Lodge No. 646, the Lockport Clinton Club, and UAW Local 686.

In addition to his wife Valerie and sons Scott Boyer and Derek Budde of Nevada, he is survived by his parents, Ray and Linda (nee Knowles) Boyer; three sisters, Kathy Petrie (Brian), Laurie Joslyn and Amy Ferrari (Jeff Kilroy); two nephews, Blake Boyer and Magden Ferrari; one niece, Marayna Ferrari; two aunts, Beth Boyer and Mosie Gardepe; and two uncles, Jeff and Jim Anderson of Florida.

A wake will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 10 and 11, at Prudden and Kandt Funeral Home, 242 Genesee St., Lockport. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 12, at Lockport United Church of Christ, 98 East Avenue, Lockport, with a reception to follow at the Niagara Falls Air Base, Lockport Road. The Red Jacket Lodge 646 F & AM service will be held Friday evening at 8:45 p.m.

Donations in Mr. Boyer’s memory may be made to Niagara Hospice, 4675 Sunset Drive, Lockport, 14094.

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