Robert Eugene Boyce, Sr was born December 15, 1957 to Bruce and Sarah Boyce. Robert passed away at home August 30th, 2025 after an almost 5-year battle with lung cancer.
Robert was diagnosed with lung cancer after an incidental finding. He was told at that point that if it had not spread to his lymph nodes that he had a great chance of beating this cancer. His daughter accompanied him to as many appointments as possible, Bob’s friends helped with the others.
Bob was a mechanic his whole life, and he retired from his job right before he began his first round of treatment. Despite retiring, he would routinely check in with his former employer and coworkers. Bob completed treatment, and though he was never given a “cancer in remission” diagnosis, treatment did shrink cancer until the end of 2024. This extra time given to him and his family and friends allowed Bob to care for his family, and was his mother’s primary caregiver until she entered into long term care. He also helped care for his brother Charles when he needed it most. In May of 2025, Bob was able to walk his daughter down the aisle, one of the last big things he accomplished before cancer took him from us.

Bob was proceeded in death by his grandparents, his parents, his brother Charles, his sister-in-law Deborah, and many other family and friends. He is survived by his children, Robert Boyce, Jr; Pomona, KS, Daughter Christina and son in law Anthony, his three grandchildren Johnathan, Alexis, and Makenzie, his brother Steven and sister-in-law Tina; his nieces and nephews Amber (Cody), Tara (Dan), Shanda, Sarah, and Craig. Bob also leaves behind many cousins, friends, and the only thing he treasured more than his family and his nutty bars, the Shawnee Group.
At the end of 2024, Bob got the news that his cancer had spread to his spine. He was referred from St Luke’s to KU Cancer Center for experimental treatment. After two hospitalizations, it was determined that his cancer made him ineligible for further treatment in his study. Still hearing this, Bob was determined to beat this cancer. Unfortunately, the pain became too much, and he requested he go on hospice in July. At that point, his grandson John and his daughter became his primary caregivers, but he always held out hope that his outcome would change. Once hospice was brought in, his family and friends made trips to him, his grandchildren and daughter were taking care of him, including delivering of his Nutty Buddy bars and vanilla pudding. His granddaughters took time going to grandpas to help, and would talk, get his treats, and cook his meals as needed. His friends from the Shawnee Group would call, stop by, bring treats and food, and check in with him. Bob was a 20-year member of Alcoholics Anonymous, and would gladly tell anyone who asked that he had celebrated 20 years sober and was hoping to make it to 21.
Bob passed peacefully away at home during his morning nap. Though there was still much to do, stories to tell, plans to make, he couldn’t fight any longer. During his final weeks, he told stories about his Shawnee Group, his friends, he recounted his trips he took with his best friend Mike to Las Vegas and South Dakota. He would call and leave messages, reminding his daughter that when she came by after work, that he needed more Nutty Bars. Some days, that would be the only reason he would call “I’m getting low on Nutty Bars. Can you drop some more by? Oh, and some vanilla pudding too.”
Bob spent the last 20 years, as he explained it “making up for the first 45 years of my life and the mistakes I made” and though he questioned if he had made up for everything, there isn’t a person who knew him that didn’t talk about how great of a man he had become. He was a regular at Dagwood’s, and it seemed like everyone knew him.
Services for Bob will be September 11, 2025 at Maple Hill. Visitation will be at 1 pm, Funeral following at 2 pm. Due to circumstances beyond Bob’s control, not everyone who knew him will be able to attend his funeral. For this reason, family, with permission of funeral home, will be recording the ceremony. If you are unable to come and would like a copy of the services, please reach out to his daughter Christina.
If I knew my dad well enough, he would not want everyone sad and sending flowers. I am asking that if you feel inclined to do anything in his memory, that you pass on an act of kindness for someone. For anyone that would like to make a monetary donation, please make it to Alcoholics Anonymous, as without them, he would not be the man he was the last 20 years.
Following his services there will be a taco dinner at Willard Avenue Baptist Church. Family invites all that want to attend to this, and request that anyone with memories of Bob write them in the notebook that will be kept for his children and grandchildren to read and pass on.