Obituary: George Dutton Boles

In December of 1960, Marblehead’s Betty Campbell pulled into a gas station in Marblehead to fill up her Renault Dauphine, and 21 year-old George Boles was working the pumps. George was smitten with Ms. Campbell at first glance, and when she told him she went to high school with his brother Bill, George went right home and went through Bill’s yearbook to see who this knockout was.

George found out who Betty was and when she came in for gas again, late in December 1960, he asked her out for New Year’s Eve. Betty was hesitant, but she relented and they went out, the pair would have celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary on March 24, but George passed away from a long illness, two days shy of that marriage milestone.

George Dutton Boles, 72, passed away at Salem Hospital on the evening of March 22.

George was born in Salem in 1939, the son of the late Captain Warren C. Boles, USN, and Harriet D. Boles. As the child of a Naval officer The Boles family moved around the country when George was growing up.

After George’s service with the Air Force, he settled down in Marblehead, with his wife Betty, living the final years of his life on West Shore Drive, adjacent to Waterside Cemetery, where he loved to take his beloved Dobermans for walks.

George worked for over 40 years in the design and manufacture of sophisticated tracking devices for the United States military. Some of George’s early design work was used by the United States government during several of the early moon missions, vital to this country’s exploration of space.

George’s hobbies included model wooden shipbuilding, gardening, pistol shooting and computers; one of his passions was amateur radio. George was a member of the Cape Ann Sportsman’s Club, the Danvers Fish and Game Club, and he loved to share his passions with his children and grandchildren, especially in the safe and responsible use of firearms.

George Boles is survived by his wife of 51 years, Betty Campbell Boles and his two children, Jeffrey Dutton Boles of Peabody, and daughter Whitney Campbell Cooper of Swampscott.

In addition to his wife and children, George is survived by his grandchildren, Christopher and Jennifer Boles of Peabody, Jake and Maxx Cooper of Swampscott, his daughter-in-law Christine Boles of Peabody and his son-in-law Scot Cooper of Swampscott, and Spooka the Doberman.

A private graveside service for George will take place on Friday, March 30, at Waterside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doberman Rescue Unlimited of New Hampshire located at 52 Tenney Road in Sandown, New Hampshire, 03873, (603) 887-1200.