Dr. Charles Boylan; Devoted To His Profession, Volunteerism

Dr. Charles Edward Boylan not only delivered the gift of sight through his work as an ophthalmologist, he also gave people hope and compassion through his volunteer activities.

"He wanted everybody to be happy. That was sort of his main focus," said his daughter, Barbara Boylan of Napa, Calif.

Although he had a Coeur d'Alene condominium with a beautiful view, he often loaned it out while spending the weekend volunteering on this or that project.

Gerry Hughes, a friend, recalled a weekend retreat at the condo when Dr. Boylan called to make sure everything was going smoothly.

When Hughes asked about the hammering sounds in the background, he found out the doctor was calling from a Habitat for Humanity project. In pouring rain, Dr. Boylan was helping build a house for the homeless.

"I always thought it said a lot about him," Hughes said.

Dr. Boylan, 63, died Sept. 26 from an aneurysm caused by a congenital condition. He died while on a trip to the Oregon Coast with his wife, Sharla.

Dr. Boylan loved visiting the ocean and hiking on Mount Rainier, two reasons why he moved to the Seattle area in 1965.

He was born in Charles City, Iowa. His parents were high-school teachers. He earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Iowa.

After serving four years in the Navy, which included a year in Bremerton, he returned to Iowa to specialize in ophthalmology.

Before retiring last January, Dr. Boylan spent 26 years working at the Seattle Eye Clinic.

He also worked at two other clinics and volunteered for about 20 years at Children's Hospital and Medical Center.

"He liked kids," said his wife, whom he met as a college senior. "They're just where you find the joy in life. That's what we both felt."

As an attending physician at Children's Hospital, Dr. Boylan worked with patients and taught staff.

He also was one of the charter members of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

"He was the warmest person I ever met. He was just genuinely a wonderful person and everybody loved him," said Dr. Mel Carlson, who worked with Dr. Boylan at Children's and at nearby Children's Eye Clinic. "He never said a harsh word to anyone. He's someone who never made an enemy in his life."

Dr. Boylan's retirement this summer allowed him to work with a camp for children with disabilities.

"He taught them how to fish, supposedly, but he hardly fished in his life. That's just what they needed, so he volunteered," said his wife.

Dr. Boylan was on the board of directors for the Bellevue Boys' & Girls' Club, and for Operation First Harvest, a Rotary District 5030 project that delivered surplus food from farmers to various food-bank organizations, including Northwest Harvest.

Hughes, president of Operation First Harvest, said Dr. Boylan came to all work parties and participated to the fullest.

Last year he helped pick 50 acres of sweet corn because the regular workers at the farm were gone. Three weeks ago, he helped pack 40,000 pounds of bulk onions into bags.

He had an incredible amount of energy, said his family.

Besides hiking and biking, Dr. Boylan had a great appreciation of music, never missing St. Mark's Cathedral's Sunday night Compline Service on the radio.

"He was a doer and just helped out wherever he was needed," said the Rev. Chuck Bomgren, a retired Lutheran pastor who has known the Boylans for 29 years.

"He was gentle and compassionate, just the kind of things you like to think doctors are, and he epitomized all of them," Bomgren said.

In addition to his wife and daughter Barbara, Dr. Boylan is survived by daughters Beth of Bellevue and Becky Boylan-Beaulaurier of Renton; brothers Jim of New York, Don of Long Lake, Minn.; sister Mary Ann Bernhard of Orlando, Fla.; and grandchildren Meaghan and Kaily Beaulaurier of Renton.

A memorial service was held Friday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Mercer Island.

The family asks that remembrances be made to Rotary's Operation First Harvest, P.O. Box 1275, Mercer Island, WA 98040; Bellevue Boys' & Girls' Club, 209 100th Ave. N.E., Bellevue, WA 98004; or Holy Trinity Lutheran Church's Social Outreach Fund, 8501 S.E. 40th St., Mercer Island, WA 98040.