Main Street Nevada’s new downtown mural is more than just artwork paying homage to the historic Lincoln and Jefferson Highways that pass through the district (and also a nod to the Monarch Highway). This project, which came to life by the very talented local artist Kelsey Wilson, started as a phone call to the Main Street Nevada office several years ago by a former Nevada resident.
Robert (Bob) Boyce (NHS ‘47) heard about Nevada becoming a Main Street community and, while he hadn’t lived here in decades, he felt compelled to support the efforts to revitalize the downtown that lives in his childhood memories. He let Main Street Nevada know he would be sending money and would love to see it used for a mural or other artwork.
As we began to start making plans for the mural earlier this year, we looked up Bob Boyce and discovered that he passed away in 2022 at age 93. While we were sad we would not be able to share the news about our mural with him, we found his family and have been able to learn more about Bob from them. We hope you will enjoy learning about a former Nevadian who has now left an impact on our community.
Dr. Robert “Bob” Boyce: A Life of Adventure, Athletics, and Generosity
Robert D. Boyce was a man whose life stretched far beyond the borders of his hometown, yet who always carried Nevada with him wherever he went.
Born in Fairbury, Nebraska, on May 19, 1929, to Robert Boyce and Clara Larson, Bob spent his formative years in Nevada. There, his athletic prowess shone early: football, basketball, and track kept him busy, and proud. Sports weren’t just games to Bob; they were classrooms for character. From those high school fields and courts, he learned the values of discipline, teamwork, and perseverance; principles that would define his long and full life.
A Journey of Service and Dedication
In 1947, Bob entered Iowa State University in Ames, where he pursued veterinary medicine (and also played football). His life took another joyful turn when he married Margaret Huntington of Davenport, Iowa, on Christmas Eve of 1952. Only six months later, degree in hand, he entered the U.S. Army and served two years stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington.
After his service, Bob returned to the Midwest briefly before making Seattle his permanent home in 1958. In 1972, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by opening his own practice, Crownhill Veterinary Hospital, a thriving clinic that became a cornerstone of his professional legacy. He retired in 1995, leaving behind a community of grateful clients and colleagues who admired not only his skill but his compassion.
The Adventurer
Outside his clinic, Bob Boyce was a man in motion. He summited both Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens, years before its 1980 eruption, and completed the 200 mile Seattle-to-Portland (STP) bike ride seven times, twice in one day. His love for the outdoors was contagious, and he shared it generously with family and friends through skiing trips, cycling adventures, and journeys around the world.
His travels took him from the European Alps to the green hills of Ireland, and even along the Yangtze River before it was dammed. He loved meeting fellow travelers, especially those who, like him, had roots in Iowa. Whether it was recounting his hitchhiking trip from Iowa State to a lumber mill in Eugene, Oregon, or describing the beauty of Native Americans fishing at Celilo Falls, Bob’s stories were vivid, humorous, and full of wonder.
Lifelong Learner, Community Giver
A man of intellect as much as adventure, Bob was known for his deep conversations, often about history, culture, and philosophy. For more than 40 years, he was a fixture at the Seattle Athletic Club, where his workouts and racquetball games were as much about friendship as fitness.
Giving back was another cornerstone of Bob’s philosophy. He supported causes that reflected his passions and memories, donating to Iowa State University, the Cascade Bicycle Club, and Main Street Nevada. Though his life took him far from his childhood home, his heart always found its way back to Nevada.
Family and Legacy
Bob and Margaret shared 70 years of marriage, a remarkable partnership filled with family, laughter, and shared adventures. He is survived by Margaret; his brother, Richard (“Dicker”) Boyce; four children—Tom, Cate, Jim, and Ann; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. His brother Richard, a federal judge and historian, even wrote a history of their hometown, an enduring tribute to the place that shaped them both.
Over seven years, Bob poured his memories and reflections into a 185-page memoir, preserving a lifetime of stories, photos, and lessons. It’s a testament to a man who lived with purpose, curiosity, and heart. A man who believed that life’s greatest adventures were meant to be shared.
A Reflection in Art
If Bob could see the Nevada mural today, those who knew him say he would beam with pride, and then, inevitably, launch into a story. Perhaps he’d tell of that summer he hitchhiked west on the Lincoln Highway, capturing photographs of the Columbia River’s Native American salmon harvesters, his first glimpse of the vast American West that would so deeply inspire him. Or, he might share how the old cars in the mural remind him of his father’s gas station. But probably he would share that he loved Tipton’s and how great it is that the mural can be seen from the old Tipton’s corner. The mural, like Bob’s life, would remind him of where his journey began – Nevada, Iowa.
