THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 23, 1995 TAG: 9509230225
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
James Holland Boyles Jr., 67, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 1995, in his residence.
He was born in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 1928, and was married to the former Hazel Saunders of Norfolk for 47 years. Mr. Boyles served as an apprentice electrician in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He sailed for nine years in the Merchant Marine, being the youngest chief electrician in the Merchant Service at the age of 18. He upgraded himself and was licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as an assistant steam engineer, unlimited, any horsepower, any waters in the world.
He was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on Nov. 10, 1953, and held this commission until Sept. 23, 1966, when he was honorably discharged. He was one of the original founders and charter members of the Thalia Civic League, Thalia Volunteer Fire Department and the Thalia Methodist Church. He had served on the official board and finance committee and the building committee at the church. He was an active member of the Thalia Volunteer Fire Department for 17 years.
As a businessman, he had operated Economy Television and Appliances for 16 years and for 20 years operated Grays Pharmacy on Hampton Boulevard, Frazier Pharmacy on Colonial Avenue, and Murdens Drug Store on Tidewater Drive, giving him a total of 36 years business experience. He received the Entered Apprentice Degree on May 14, 1954, in Naomi Masonic Lodge No. 87, AF & AM, was passed to the degree of Fellowcraft on May 21, 1954, and was raised to the sublime degree of master mason on May 28, 1954. Twenty-one days later, on June 4, 1954, he was examined on the Master Mason's Degree. He was appointed chaplain of Naomi Lodge in December of 1955. He advanced through the appointed and elected offices and was elected worshipful master of Naomi Lodge in December 1963. In December of 1965 he was elected as the representative from his lodge to the Masonic Temple Corporation of Norfolk. One year later he was elected as president of the Masonic Temple Corporation. In 1967 he was selected by the 12 Lodges of the 35th Masonic District as district deputy grand master for the 1968-69 Masonic year. This selection was approved by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Jesse A. White, and Brother Boyles served in this capacity during the 1968-69 Masonic year, attending a total of 291 Masonic and Shrine functions in that year.
He had served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Naomi Lodge and also served as the Grand Lodge of Virginia representative to the Grand Lodge of Luxemberg. He was also a past chairman of Division N. 1 of the Wills, Bequests and Special Gifts Committee of the Grand Lodge of Virginia as well as a member of its Appeals Committee. He became a member of the John Walters Royal Arch Chapter, No. 68 in 1956, receiving the degree of super excellent master in September of 1962, which was conferred by the Fayetteville Council No. 27, Fayetteville, N.C. He was also a member of Grice Commandery No. 16.
He became a member of the Norfolk Scottish Rite Bodies in November of 1957. He had served as vice chairman of the Paraphernalia Committee and worked on various degree teams and was the alternate degree captain of the First Section of the 30th degree. He had served on the Paraphernalia Committee for 33 years. He served the Norfolk Scottish Rite Bodies as venerable master of the Norfolk Lodge of Perfection in 1976, wise master of the Norfolk Chapter of Rose Croix in 1975, master of kadosh of the Norfolk Consistory in 1976 and served as the commander of the Norfolk Council of Kadosh in 1986. He was honored by the Scottish Rite by being invested with the rank and dignity of knight commander, court of honor by the Supreme Council on Oct. 20, 1965. He was elected as a trustee for the Norfolk Scottish Rite Bodies in 1981.
He was a member of the Royal Order of Scotland and a member of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Neptune Forest (NU)141.
Noble Boyles received his initiation into the Mysteries of the Shrine on May 23, 1959. He served two years on the Ritualistic Divan and nine years as a member of the Provost. He served as assistant director of Uniformed Units in 1969 and director of Uniformed Units in 1970. He was elected Oriental Guide of Khedive Temple in January, 1971, and served as potentate in 1975. He was a past chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khedive Temple.
He is past president of the Khedive Cabiri, having served in that position for five years. He was re-elected as a representative to the Imperial Council, A.A.O.N.M.S. in 1991 and was serving in his 15th term. He was an honorary member of 14 Shrine Clubs and is an honorary member of 15 Shrine Units of Khedive Temple. He served as director general for Illustrious Louis F. McAllisser of Acca Temple for the South Atlantic Shrine Association in 1976-77. Right Worshipful Boyles was again honored by the Supreme Council on Nov. 12, 1984, and was coronated 33rd degree inspector general honorary.
Mr. Boyles is survived by his wife, Hazel M. Boyles; one daughter, Linda Catherine Fitzgerald and her husband, Jess, of Virginia Beach; one son, James Richard Boyles of Virginia Beach; one sister, Sandra B. Maddox of Amherst, Va.; three brothers, H. Wendell Burford of Milton, Del., Elvin W. Burford of Lynchburg, Va., and Ronnie Boyles of Clearfield, Pa.; and five grandchildren, Dame, Grant, Brooke, Derek, and Zachary.
A funeral service with Masonic rites will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in Smith and Williams Funeral Home, Kempsville Chapel, Virginia Beach. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials take the form of donations to the Shriners Crippled and Burned Children's Hospitals, 645 Woodlake Drive, Chesapeake, or to the Sentara Leigh Hospital Hospice Program. ILLUSTRATION: Personal photo
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB