Remembering Chuck....Charles F. Boller, Jr...

Whenever I hear the words, "Reporter Argus", I think, "Chuck Boller".  Most everyone knows that Chuck was the owner/editor/publisher of the Reporter Argus for many years and that it was owned by his father before Chuck took over.  Most everyone knows that Chuck spent countless hours covering everything that happened in town while promoting and supporting our town through his job and his volunteer work at church and in the community.  I've read countless posts on Facebook with people singing his praises and telling of how much he will be missed. 

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For those who are not on Facebook, my post read as follows:

It sure is a sad time for the Chestnut Street gang - losing Loraine earlier in the year...then John Borowski and now Chuck. Memories of Chuck...I always loved Marcia and Paul and he was their father, so he must be a good guy!...loved the newspaper...he was, and always will be, what I think of when I think of the Reporter Argus...loved watching him run up and down the sidelines hooting and hollering while covering Gator football games...liked harassing him about how there were never basketball pictures in the paper, but lots of football...finally got some basketball pics going!...remember him pulling in the driveway very early on a Sunday morning, waking us all up with his horn honking, hooting and hollering (again) to let Lance and Dad know he was ready to make his way to the Buffalo TV station for the Echos to appear on TV!!! ...enjoyed when he was the lay speaker at church...always loved to hear him sing in the church choir, I think he was part of that group for 50 years or more...was so happy for my friend Debbie and her family when Chuck and JoAnn started dating and were married - didn't understand at the time how wonderful that union would be...just thought Debbie was lucky!...was so happy to see Chuck honored as an Unsung Hero, a much-deserved honor...glad he was a member of our church family and that he brought JoAnn with him (they often attended two church services each Sunday!)...was grateful for his words of encouragement and appreciation for my work with his beloved Reporter Argus... the list could go on, but I will end with he was a truly wonderful man, a person I was lucky to know and someone I will miss, but will not forget!

I was going to add to this post and wanted to get a little input from the family.  I was going to weave what I was told into this week's Pam's Corner on PAO...but as I read their words, I decided to let them speak for themselves as they did a much better job than I would.  I also decided he deserved his own space and not just a spot in my column. 

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My communication with Marcia, in part, is as follows:

"I wanted to share some thoughts with you about the presentation of the man, my dad, as the wonderful man that he was.

As our family has been talking in the last couple of days, we keep coming back to the simple fact that family was his priority always; it was, when "family" was my dad, my mom Ruth, Paul and I during the 1950's; it was, when "family" was my dad, Paul, and I (after our mother died in 1960) and it was, when "family" became Jo Ann, Debbie, Julie, Lori, Paul and I in 1969 and beyond.  Whenever he was needed by any of us, he was there, and he carried this forward to all his grandchildren, and we presume, he would have extended it with his inimitable gentleness to his now 3 great-grandchildren.  

By the nature of all the posts, this dedication also extended to his friends, to his colleagues, and to the many for whom he naturally became a mentor.  We could talk about many to whom he became a mentor, like the students of his Youth Sunday School class years back.  Many of those students have shared with him in later years that their foundation and comfort in Christianity was awakened in them by my dad.  When he stopped teaching this class, probably due to the demands of my mother's illness, the members of this class gave him a Bible inscribed with their expression of appreciation for all he had given them.  This Bible remained important to him for the rest of his life.  In fact, with its pages well-worn by years of its use, it was on his nightstand the morning that he died.

There are so many stories like this one. Each one of us as his children can relate similar stories expressing how he led us through a critical point in our lives by always being available to listen, to advise, to ask us the right questions to help us find our own solutions. 

The five of us, Paul, Debbie, Julie, Lori, and I, are better sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, parents, friends and mentors ourselves for the example that he set for us.  I am sure that each us can recount countless things we do each day that are founded in his teachings, love, and support.

As you write this week, I have no doubt you will find your way to tell the story of this incredible man in your own way.  But please highlight that the man he was to his family -- the man who enabled my brother and I to survive the loss of our mother Ruth, knowing that despite the pain of losing her, we would never doubt that we were cherished, loved, encouraged, and protected. And then the man who chose so carefully and so lovingly the woman that would become his wife years later, the man that in partnership with Jo Ann gently forged the strength of their union to extend it into every part of this new family to cement together a step-family in such a way that the "step" part of it melted away.  Our family has been so blessed by him.  And through him and my mom JoAnn, we have found infinite blessings in each other.  And those blessings extend through us to his children to our children/his grandchildren and now to his great-grandchildren.  Each of us, his children and his grandchildren could tell you a multitude of stories attesting to the miracle of this m

n. And had God granted that he remain in this world a bit longer, those stories would continue with his great-grandchildren, I am sure.

I hope this ramblin' (word chosen intentionally) helps you write your column with the inspiration to capture just a fraction of who this amazing man was."

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For those of you who don't know, the "ramblin" word that Marcia speaks of comes from Chuck's popular "Ye Old Rambler" column that appeared in the Reporter Argus for many years.  I think that was the correct title.  It was a lot of fun to read...one of my favorite things in the paper.

Marcia said Chuck felt no effort to help others was too small or insignificant in his mind if it could help others.  This dedication can be found in his years of volunteering with my mother Jo Ann to deliver meals through the Meals on Wheels outreach program.  They just did that regular service because it needed to be done.  They did not think of it in terms of their own recognition but as a service that made a difference in the lives of many.

Julie and I were chatting on Facebook and she offered the following:  "just read the copy of what Marcia so eloquently penned and sent to you.....I just wanted you to know a couple stories that are perfect examples of my dad's kindness and love. When my own father passed away, I found out years later, that my dad drove a car in the funeral procession. ... He never told me this, but when I found out he had done that I asked him why when he didn't even know us and he said he offered to do that as he knew how it felt to be left with small children and he wanted to help in some small way.  Every time I moved out of an apartment or house he and my mom would make the trip to help.  Here is the thing that really sticks with me...... I never ever felt like I wasn't his child...NEVER!  He was a giver and he always had everyone else's wants and needs before his own..... And he was so humble as to not want recognition... However I saw the twinkle in his eye when he was one of the Methodist church unsung heroes..... This last year or so I have told him over and over that he was my hero and knight in shining armor… And he would say... "Well I don't know about that"....and I would say, "well I do."

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And from the youngest in the family, Lori writes, "My thoughts of my Dad are simple.  He was our knight in shining armor (as Julie said).  He swooped in and saved us all.  He was my Mom's best friend, he let us all goof on him and laughed right along with us when he could not do charades well, he only cursed when he was putting up the camper on vacation (lol), he said great blessings at holiday dinners, he nurtured and provided for us, he set a great example on what it is to work hard for what you have....and he simply loved us no matter what.

My favorite memory was watching for him to drive by on Broad street in the morning to drive me to Kindergarten (before they were married)....and we would pick up Jennifer White and make the long drive to Chestnut Street to school.  He actually enjoyed doing that.  What a good guy."

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After reading these memories from the girls, I decided there was no need for me to put my spin on it...I could not have said it any better. 

Port Allegany has lost a wonderful man, one who played a big part in recording the history of our community. Attached is the last photo I took of Chuck.  It was taken at a reception held in their honor following the last morning worship service he and JoAnn attended as residents of Port Allegany.  Also pictured (seated) are his sister, Mary Causer and in the back, daughters Debbie and Julie and son-in-law Jim Anderson.