Robert Russell Boye

We would like to think that somewhere in the universe, a star has joined the pitch in a celestial version of the beautiful game. Robert Russell Boye was a father, husband, friend, manager, school volunteer, and colleague, but underlying all of these things he was a soccer fan. He played throughout his years at Ramapo High School as well as at MIT where he completed his undergraduate work in Electrical Engineering. He played while he completed a Masters at Johns Hopkins, then in Tucson where he earned an MS and PhD in Optics at the University of Arizona. Rob coached AYSO before he ever had children of his own, simply because he wanted to share his love of the game. Rob was born the 12th of September 1966 in Ridgewood, NJ. He passed away after a two year struggle with ALS in the early hours of the 10th of January 2018, at home in Albuquerque with his wife, Susan, and his two sons, Cal and Dash. He also leaves behind his mother, Nancy Boye of Wyckoff, NJ; his older brother and his wife, Bill and Isabelle Boye, of Gladstone, NJ, and their two children; his older sister, Melinda Boye of Mannahawkin, NJ and her two sons; and Rob’s younger brother Brett Boye of Pittsburgh, PA. Rob was preceded in death by his father, William Ernest Boye, who also died due to ALS.

Rob enjoyed his work with the Boye Family Foundation and his position as manager at Sandia National Labs. Last year, his body of scholarly and philanthropic work was recognized by the University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences when they awarded him Alumnus of the Year. Rob was known to comment that it was kind of the English Premiere League and Major League Soccer to have their seasons conveniently situated during the time when he became housebound. He was able to spend hours recording and watching games to his heart’s content. To this end, Rob’s final wishes were that his family and friends come together, in whatever soccer jerseys they prefer, to eat barbecue and make toasts to a life well lived.

A celebration of his life is planned for the 20th of January, at his home in Albuquerque, between the hours of 1:00 and 5:00. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: The Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at http://www.alscenter.org/ or the New Mexico chapter of the ALS Association http://webnm.alsa.org/.