Lester L. Boyer, Jr., PhD, P.E.

LESTER L. BOYER, JR., PhD, P.E.

Lester Leroy Boyer, Jr. PhD, P.E. went to his heavenly home on March 4, 2022, at age 84.

A former resident of Forbes Park in the Sangre de Cristo mountains near Fort Garland, Colorado from 1996 to June 27, 2018, and relocated to Pueblo, CO due to the Spring Creek Forest Fire.  Born near Hanover, PA, son of the late Lester Sr. and Ruth Kessler Boyer.  His career was primarily as Professor and Consultant in higher education in Architecture.

Survived by Patricia Barbara Hayes Boyer, wife of 63 years.  Both were classmates at West York High School from 7^th grade to graduation 1955.  He was Senior Class President, Valedictorian, Editor of the school newspaper, Wrestling and Track team member.

Attended Penn State University, earned Bachelor and Master degrees in Architectural Engineering 1960 & 1964. Was inducted as a brother in the Theta Xi Fraternity.  Received a PhD in Architecture at U. C. Berkeley in 1976.

When he moved, he always found a Boy Scout Troop in need of a Leader: Troop 50, State College, PA, Explorer Post 159, Mountville, PA, and Troop 38, Stillwater, OK.

He was a Registered Professional Engineer and Consultant in Structures and Environmental Technologies in several states – PA, MA, and OK. Employed at Armstrong Cork R&D Center, Lancaster, PA 1964-68 and Bolt Beranek and Newman Consultants, Cambridge, MA 1968-70.

His teaching career began in 1970 at Oklahoma State University and retired as Emeritus Professor of Architecture at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX in 1996.  During this time period: taught courses for the National Society of Professional Engineers on Radiation Shielding and Environmental Engineering for Survival Shelters. 1978-83 taught 2-day short courses to A&E practicing professionals throughout the USA on design & Analysis of Earth Covered Buildings.  Received two Fulbright Scholar awards: Australia 1982 and Holland 1992.

After retirement from Texas A&M, he was employed by the Kuwait government as Developer and Chair of the new Architecture Department in the College of Engineering at Kuwait University.  During this time period, he traveled widely in the area.

Major design and consulting professional achievements:

1975 California State Office Building, Sacramento which won First Place in The National Energy Design Competition of 46 entries.

Two industrial complexes: Conoco R&D Center, Ponca City, OK and Halliburton R&D Center, Duncan, OK.

Designed 3 of his own houses.

1983 Organized the First International Conference on Earth Covered Buildings in Sydney, Australia.  Subsequent conferences were held in the following years and countries: 1986 Second Conference, Minneapolis, MN, 1988 Third            Conference, Shanghai, China, 1990 Fourth Conference, London, England, 1992 Fifth Conference, Delft, Holland, and 1995 Sixth Conference, Paris, France. Thereafter, joined with the International Tunneling Association.

1985 Received National Science Foundation Grant for Development of

Algorithms for Daylighting with Lightshelves and Atriums in Buildings.

Authored nearly 100 technical publications in professional journals and wrote a book titled “Earth Shelter Technology” with Walter Grondzik in 1987.

2018 received “Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award”.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia Hayes Boyer; son, Douglas Boyer and his wife Dania of St. Louis Park, MN, son Blane Boyer and his wife Dorothy of Stillwater, OK; daughter Darla Boyer Hill and her husband, Greg Hill of Arlington, TX, her three children: Michael Sharpton and his wife April of Rogers MN, Rachel Mikish and her husband Derek of Austin, TX, and Brittany Coffman and her husband Todd of St, Michael, MN, and 7 Great Grandchildren: Sidney and Madeline Sharpton, Evelyn and Ruby Mikish, and Bentley, Wesley, and Everley Coffman.

He is also survived by his brother, Donald G. Boyer and his wife Delores of Dover, PA.

Private Family Memorial service to be held at a later date.