WWI
Joseph Leo Boyer, 95, formerly of Wadena, died Friday, Jan. 27, 1989, at the new Veterans Hospital in Minneapolis.
Funeral services were conducted Monday, Jan. 30, 1989 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Wadena with Father Jamed D. Hahn officiating.
Burial will be in the Wadena Catholic (Calvary) cemetery with Johnson Memorial Home, Wadena, in charge of arrangements.
The VFW Honor Guard carried out the military ritual at the church and presented the American flag to the surviving son, Joseph N. Boyer.
Casketbearers were Paul and John Boyer of Wayzata; Richard Boyer, San Raphael, CA; James Kern, Wadena; and Scott Such and Charles Gira of Fargo, N.D.; Robert Boyer and Joe Boyer, Jr., were lectors at the mass.
Joseph L. Boyer was born Nov. 5, 1893 in Haverhill, Iowa, the son of Bernard and Anna (Staebler) Boyer. The family moved to a farm five miles south of Wadena when Joe was a young boy. He was married to Mathilda Geber on June 26, 1919 after returning home from duty in World War I.
He is survived by a daughter, Marian, (Mrs. Melving Kern), Wadena; a son, Joseph N. Boyer, Wayzata; 18 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Gregor, of San Bernadino, CA; John (Jack) of Wadena; Ray of Minneapolis; and one sister, Clara larson of St. Cloud.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Tillie; a son, Lt. Col. Richard J. Boyer, San Raphael, CA; three brothers, Hugo of California; Leo of Cyrus; Ed of Minneapolis; three sisters, Carrie Ludovissie, Mayme Schmitz and Catherine Ring; and two grandsons, 18-year-old Steven Kern, Detroit Lakes; and infant, Michael Boyer, buried at Ft. Leavenworth, KS.
While living in Wadena, Mr. Boyer built many houses and barns in this area. It was a common practice that after completing a barn, Joe, who played guitar with his brother Hugo, who played violin, would play for the "barn dance" held in the hayloft prior to the barn being used for the cattle. Joe and Hugo also owned and operated a garage in Verndale around 1917.
Joe, who served in the Army in Europe in World War I was proud to be a "charter member" of the American Legion and was its Commander during the time the Wadena Memorial Auditorium was planned and constructed with meeting room for the Legion. He has been a continuous lifetime member of the Legion which is well over 60 years. Mr. Boyer was awarded the Purple Heart during World War I.
When Joe returned to Wadena after World War I he was at the Fair Oaks Lodge Sanitorium in Wadena. He suffered from leg injury and also was gassed causing lung problems. It was from this condition that he sought relief when he moved to Washington state in 1943. He continued his carpentry there by working in the shipyards of Seattle doing cabinet work on ships. His return to Minnesota came in 1983 after illness and resided at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minneapolis.
Many of Joe's family served or are serving this country. His brother, Gregor served nearly 40 years in the Navy; brother, Ed was in the Navy over 25 years. Joe's oldest son, Lt. Col. Richard J. Boyer, retired from the U.S. Army after 26 years of service. Daughter Marian Kern spent 28 years with the Department of Agriculture Farmers Home Administration in Wadena; son Joe N., served with the Navy Seabees during WWII; grandson, Charles Kern, served three years with the U.S. Army in Vietnam and a great-granddaughter, CTM3 Tammy Kern, is currently serving in the Navy on Guam. She has served four years of her six-year enlistment.
The families of Joseph L. Boyer express our thanks and appreciation to all friends and relatives for their support and love at the time of the loss of our father, grandfather and great-grandfather. A special thanks to Father Hahn, the St. Ann's nuns, school choir and January circle; and to the Wadena V.F.W. Honor Guard and members and the American Legion and auxiliaries.
Marian & Melvin Kern, Wadena
Joe and Eileen Boyer, Wayzata, MN
Richard J. Boyer Family, California
Wadena Pioneer Journal