Fred McKinney Boling Jr.

Boling, Jr., Fred McKinney 12/21/1937 - 5/29/2022 On Sunday, May 29th, 2022, Fred McKinney Boling Jr. aka "Papa Chief", loving husband and father of two, passed away at the age of 84, in his home, with his family holding his hands and whispering we love you in his ears. Fred was born in Kilgore, Texas on December 21, 1937, to Clara and Fred Boling. His early childhood was spent in Texas and his formative years in Big Rapids, Michigan. He graduated from Big Rapids High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. Upon graduation and a summer of fun, he awoke one fall day to his College Class Schedule and a stack of books on the kitchen table. His Mom, Nanny, had signed him up. She believed in the power of education and his potential. Off he went, the first of his family to attend and graduate from Ferris State College. After graduation, he proudly served in the National Guard as a First a Lieutenant for 8 years and was awarded the Officer of the Year in 1966. With a degree in Architectural Drafting, he began his 50-year career in the Architectural and Construction Industry in Kalamazoo, Michigan. First as a draftsman for an architectural firm, then making his way to the Construction Industry with a 25-year career at MW Vanderveen Construction Company as a Partner and Vice President. A 10-year run at Progressive Engineering serving on the Board of Directors heading their Construction Management Division. He built hundreds of spaces. Hillsdale College Library, Western Michigan University's Fetzer Building, apartment buildings, Parkview Hills Country Club, and dozens of Meijer's Stores, at one time building 6 stores simultaneously. He absolutely loved his profession, and his strategic mind was well suited for this type of accuracy and long-range planning. He was perfectionist, passionate and driven in his career. He had a running bet on any project that he ran – if you could find a detail on the drawings that he did not know – he would buy you a steak dinner. No one in over 50 years on the job has been invited to a free steak dinner with "The Chief ". On November 25, 1961, he married the love of his life, Marietta Cronin. They created and raised two children, son Fred and daughter Holly. Raising the children in Kalamazoo, the family enjoyed annual trips to Sanibel Island, Florida where Fred enjoyed fishing and walking the beach. Searching for the "shell of the day" with a mad dash to view the sunset and witness the beauty of the day. Fred and Marietta were strong supporters of all the endeavors of their children – whether it was organizing a Firewood Sales to raise funds for the Tennis Team to attend a spring training camp in Florida or driving all the Cheerleaders up to the State Finals. They were always there cheering you on. He practiced this philosophy well into his children's adulthood, becoming their advisor and mentor until the day he passed. Fred and Marietta moved to Rockford, Michigan in 1992 where they formed a great community of friends and neighbors. These two extraordinary souls in love, spent 60 glorious years dancing the 8-step, traveling to Hawaii, Caribbean, China, and Florida, playing tennis at West Hills Tennis Club, golfing at Silver Lake with a group of friends that loved him dearly and traveling to watch their granddaughter Ayla Zhansaya Ruiz aka "The Hammer" play volleyball in countless states and tournaments . They loved entertaining and were usually the Party house hosting many gatherings of friends throughout their years together. He had a quick wit and a joke ready for any dinner party and could sport an earring like no one else.He truly enjoyed life at a level we all will try to achieve. His love of the land was apparent in every home in which he lived. Planting rose gardens, fruit trees, grape vines and blueberry bushes in Kalamazoo, daffodils, tulips, lilacs, and Holly bushes in Rockford, and red cedar wax palms, ferns, orchids and kalo in Hawaii, being outside in the dirt was his love. He gathered energy for his soul from the land. He was literally putzing in the yard hours before his death. His outlook on life was brilliant- "your glass is always half full" "stretch the time between the stimulus and response" " the 6 "P"s of life – Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance " and "learn to be still". He lived his life executing these principals impacting dozens of souls for generations to come. Fred was preceded in death by his father, Fred, and his mother Clara. He is survived by his wife, Marietta, his two children Fred III, Holly (Cole -husband), his granddaughter Ayla, his brother John and Leonard (Pete)(Cindy – wife), his numerous nieces, nephews, friends in the neighborhood and ohana in Hawaii. Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 pm Monday, June 6, 2022 at the Pederson Funeral Home, 127 N. Monroe Street, Rockford, MI 49341. A private family interment will take place at a later date. In Lieu of Flowers, please consider a memorial donation to a charity of your choice in Fred's Honor. The family welcomes messages and memories in their online guestbook at www.plaisierfuneral.com (http://www.plaisierfuneral.com).