SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Throughout a life dedicated to community service on numerous fronts, John J. “Jack” Boyle III put his heart and soul into the betterment of Cleveland, its inner-ring suburbs and beyond.
That heart gave out on May 22 at the age of 85.
Most recently a resident of the Larchmere neighborhood, Boyle stepped down about a year ago from the Shaker Heights Planning Commission after more than a decade of guiding key development projects.
Boyle also left his mark in local and state politics, beginning in Cleveland Heights in 1971, where he and Lucille Huston became the first Democrats ever elected to City Council.
It was the first of several milestones: Boyle was also the youngest council member and soon the first Democratic mayor appointed by his colleagues.
He continued to serve into the mid-1980s.
Boyle and his wife, Mary, met in high school when he was at St. Ignatius and she at Beaumont, marrying in 1962 and later settling in Cleveland Heights to raise their four children.
In the early going, the couple got involved in advocating for fair housing and integration, leading to his run for council.
Mary Boyle, a nurse by profession, launched a political career herself, later serving as a Cuyahoga County commissioner and state representative -- as well as a run for the U.S. Senate.
Jack, who grew up in University Heights, also operated the Boyle Insurance Agency (now United Agencies), starting alongside his father after graduating from Boston College.
“After his time in elected office, he transitioned behind the scenes, managing campaigns for congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative candidates,” noted Peter Boyle, his youngest son.
Former Ohio Gov. Richard Celeste called Boyle “a good friend and a wonderful community leader,” noting that Jack and Mary were early volunteers when he first ran statewide in 1974.
“I found his gentle but tough advice compelling whenever we would visit during my time in Columbus,” Celeste recalled.
One of the campaign photos of Jack Boyle when he ran for Cleveland Heights City Council in 1971, when he became the first of two Democrats ever elected to a seat. Boyle later became the first Democratic as well as the youngest appointed mayor at that time.Photo courtesy of the Boyle family
“I’m sure that is why I asked him to serve as my campaign manager in 1986” for what would be his second term as governor, Celeste continued.
“I think I took advantage of him because I knew that he really didn’t know how to say ‘no’ to a request to do something for his community or for his state.”
Beyond politics, Jack Boyle served for over a decade as vice chair of the U.S. Federal Court Evaluation Committee.
He also chaired the Ohio Public Employment Advisory and Counseling Effort (PEACE) Commission, which laid the groundwork in developing legislation that authorized collective bargaining for public employees.
In addition to serving on the Cleveland Heights Planning Commission, Boyle also held leadership roles at the City Club of Cleveland and the Cleveland International Film Festival.
His dedication to human rights, as outlined in Susan Kaeser’s 2020 book "Resisting Segregation" -- particularly the chapter entitled “City Government Steps Up” -- took him overseas as well.
Appointed by then-President Bill Clinton, Jack served with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), working to promote democracy and stability in war-torn Bosnia in 1997.
What could be considered Jack’s third career began in 1989 when he was appointed to the Board of Trustees at Cleveland State University.
His tenure at CSU spanned decades, most notably as vice president of business affairs and finance.
During this time, he earned a master’s degree in urban planning and oversaw all financial divisions, campus safety, capital planning, facilities management, campus support services and human resources.
He was instrumental in executing the university’s $500 million Master Plan.
Upon his official retirement from CSU in 2011, a Plain Dealer article referred to Boyle as the “behind-the-scenes architect of CSU’s campus transformation.”
Edward Hill, the dean of CSU’s Levin College of Urban Affairs, said at the time that Boyle “took a Stalinist(-looking) campus and made it a celebration of the city.”
Peter Boyle noted that despite his many career accomplishments, his father’s favorite form of service was to his family.
“He took immense joy in supporting his 10 grandchildren -- academically, athletically, culturally and socially -- traveling far and wide to cheer them on.
“This was the service he cherished most.”
John J. "Jack" Boyle III, shown here in this undated family photo, passed away May 22 at the age of 85, after decades of public service, with his funeral the following week at Our Lady of Peace Church in Shaker Square.Courtesy of the Jack Boyle family
Jack also enjoyed golfing, bird watching, bridge, travel, The New York Times word puzzles, cheering on his favorite sports teams -- the Cleveland Guardians and Cavaliers -- and spending time at his beach home in Cape Cod, “the Grey Goose.”
Peter Boyle added that his father Jack improved the view “for his family and friends, for the citizens of Cleveland and its suburbs, for the state of Ohio and for communities near and far.”
Celeste agreed, offering his condolences to the Boyle family.
“That generosity of spirit -- and the pride he radiated in Mary’s own public service journey -- are vivid in my mind as I reflect with great appreciation for a life well-lived," Celeste said in an email shared by the family.
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