Richard Alfred Boyer is known as Chaplain, Pastor, husband, father, and Grandpa. He was born in Indianapolis, IN, on August 16, 1936, where his father, the Rev. Herman Boyer, was director of the Lutheran Orphanage. In 1944, his father accepted a call to pastor Grace Lutheran Church in Omro, WI. Richard spent the summers in Omro baling hay, working in a cheese factory, and building stone fireplaces for a construction company.

Following confirmation and 8th grade, he entered Concordia Milwaukee Prep School for a six-year program combining high school and college. This school prepared students for seminary training in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The educational concentration was on languages, including German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. At prep school he worked to help pay his tuition doing jobs such as dishwashing, setting pins at a bowling alley (when this was still done by hand), and working as a mail carrier.

After graduation in 1956, he entered Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, his father's alma mater. Richard's seminary training emphasized both academic and practical aspects of theology, often utilizing his comprehensive education in languages.

His vicarage was in Ft Wayne, IN. At this congregation, he discovered a group of Sunday School teachers who were eager to learn. He began a weekly class helping them more deeply grasp the lessons they would be teaching. This emphasis on teaching would become his lifelong calling. He was also busy visiting homes - essentially, evangelism calls - which gave him an increasing appetite to learn to preach better (bringing truth to the heart). Of course, while on vicarage he met the love of his life, Delores Lepper, on a blind date, arranged by his barber, the father of one of Delores's friends.

He married Delores on June 17, 1961, following his graduation from the seminary. Their first call was to an African-American congregation in Muskogee, OK. Steve, the first of five sons, was born there in 1962.

Richard entered the Navy Reserves during the last year of seminary. He was called to active duty in 1962. He attended the US Naval Chaplaincy School in Newport, RI. Upon completion he served as a chaplain at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, CA.

Follow-on assignments included chaplain of Naval Construction Battalion # 11 at Port Hueneme, CA; Naval Training Center in San Diego; Sr. Chaplain at Naval Air Station in Adak, Alaska; chaplain to the First Marine Division in Vietnam; Naval Air Station Chaplain in Jacksonville, FL. In Groton, CT he served with the Submarine Force, training lay leaders to be spiritual leaders out on deployment, along with discipling couples and singles stateside. After graduate school in RI he was sent to the 3rd Marine Division in Okinawa. His next position was senior chaplain at Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, MD, where there was seemingly a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit resulting in fruitful ministry. His next assignment was with the 2nd Marine Division in Camp Lejeune, NC. Having completed tours with all three Marine Divisions, he was then asked to head up the chapel ministry at the Marine Naval Air Station in Yuma, Az.
Through all the Navy locations and moves, four more sons were added to the family: Joel (1963), Brent (1966), Brad (1968), and Barth (1970). If he didn't have enough challenges at work, he came home to sons to wrangle!

During his military service in Vietnam, he faced the challenge of serving Marines dispersed over a large area. He traveled a circuit on foot or jeep to all the remote outposts - sometimes through combat fire. Additionally, during the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beruit in 1983, as the 2nd Marine Division Deputy Chaplain, it was his responsibility to dispatch notification teams to affected family members as well as host daily press conference updates.

After his retirement from the Navy in 1986, he and Delores settled in Derby, KS, ministering at Faith Lutheran Church for the next 15 years. He retired a second time in 2001 but was soon recalled to "active ministry" serving as a vacancy pastor in Larned, KS, and then at Cheney, KS. His final retirement began when those ended, allowing him the opportunity to REALLY settle into his chair on the back porch with a view enjoying the sunsets.

Richard's ministry increasingly focused on discipleship. Some of this he picked up from his father, some from other chaplains and much from the Navigators parachurch ministry. Such discipling included an emphasis on personal faith, memorization, and Christian fellowship. He was able to combine these emphases in the biblical Lutheran framework of Christ Alone, Scripture Alone and Faith Alone in a comprehensive four-year adult Bible study. He led numerous people through this customized training giving them a solid Biblical framework. His focus on a vibrant faith was also evident in the confirmation instruction he provided. This included memorization and study to instill a lifelong knowledge and love for Christ and the message of salvation. He was especially gratified that seven men whom he discipled were moved by the Holy Spirit to attend seminary. Several are participating in the funeral and memorial service for their chaplain/pastor.

Richard entered eternity to be with the Lord Jesus on April 17, 2024, in Bel Aire, KS. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Delores, of Bel Aire, KS; sons Steve (Rachel) of Atoka, TN, Joel of Palmyra, VA, Brent (Lily) of Miami, FL, Brad (Chie) of Lawton, OK, and Barth (Melanie) of Bel Air, MD; brother Dan of La Quinta, CA; eleven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 9909 Wayne Trace, Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Wednesday, April 24, at 11:00 a.m., viewing and visitation with the family at the church from 9:00–11:00 a.m. A memorial service will also be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 600 N. Greenwich Rd. Wichita, Kansas, visitation with the family beginning at 10:00 a.m. To read the complete obituary and sign the online guest book, go to www.fairhavenfortwayne.com.

Memorials may be made to:

LCMS Ministry to the Armed Forces
1333 S. Kirkwood Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63122

Lutheran Heritage Foundation
51474 Romeo Plank Rd.
Macomb, MI 48042

Kansans for Life
3301 W. 13th St. N.
Wichita, KS 67203

A Hope Center
3630 Hobson Rd.
Ft. Wayne, IN 46815