A Funeral Mass for Edward John Boyle, age 93 of O'Neill, NE will be 10:30 AM Wednesday, August 16, 2023 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill. Burial will follow in the O'Neill Cemetery with Military Rites by the O'Neill American Legion Post #93. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 5 to 7 PM at Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill with a Parish Rosary at 7 PM. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials in Ed's honor to St. Mary's School. Edward passed away at his home in O'Neill on Saturday, August 12, 2023. Arrangements are under the direction of Biglin's Mortuary of O'Neill.

Edward John Boyle was born to Ed and Mary (Barrett) Boyle in 1930 at the family home on the Elkhorn River near Inman, Nebraska. He was the eldest of 12 children, and they grew up working on the family farm and swimming in the river. They were avid 4-H participants, and Ed won some National 4-H prizes in his teens.

Ed attended country school through 8th grade and then St. Mary's High School, graduating in 1948. After high school, he worked on the family farm and in the blue grass fields. Ed was drafted into the Marines in 1952 and was stationed in Japan and Hawaii. He was honorably discharged in 1954.

Ed's mother died in 1953 and Ed was appointed guardian of his younger siblings. After military service he worked for Elliot Construction in O'Neill, Columbus, and Bellevue. He joined Niobrara Valley Rural Electric Association in 1955 and worked there until he retired in 1992. He married Bette Mahony in 1957, and they have 7 children.

Ed was a talented maker of almost anything he could imagine and was a master of creating things from found or reclaimed items. When his young family started to outgrow their small house north of O'Neill, he built an addition that tripled the size of the house using mainly salvaged materials and while working a full-time job. He created a playground for his children that was the envy of the neighborhood and included a rotating seesaw/merry-go-round that certainly did not meet modern safety standards but was never dull. He also built, among many other projects, a pop-up camper that slept 8 and took his family on vacation from South Dakota to the Lake of the Ozarks. He also built an airboat that converted to a snowmobile and looked so exotic it stopped traffic. He converted a retired school bus into a "motor home" painted in shades of green and the family spent most summer weekends at Ft. Randall, boating and camping in the old green bus.

After retirement, Ed devoted much of his time to woodworking and produced many beautiful items. All of his children have furnished their houses with his furniture, and St. Patrick's Church contains many examples of his work, including the wooden cross behind the altar.

Edward is survived by his wife of 66 years, Bette Boyle; his 7 children and spouses, Kathy (Jim) Parsons of Dallas, TX, Ed (Karen) Boyle of Creighton, NE, John (Christi) Boyle of O'Neill, NE, Rick (Kathy) Boyle of Norfolk, NE, Joe (Ann) Boyle of Scottsbluff, NE, Paula (Bob) Atkeson of O'Neill, NE and Ann (Ryan) Crumly of Page, NE; 25 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; and one sister, Margaret Posch of Cheney, KS.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Patrick and Mary (Barrett) Boyle; 7 brothers; 3 sisters; and one great grandchild.