His parents were David Kenneth Boles, Sr. and Ann Anderson Boles. Their family included an older sister, Sharon, and two younger sisters, Teresa Boles Stokes and Debi Boles Gault. They grew up in Lufkin, TX, where the extended Boles family owned several businesses, including the Boles Grocery Stores that served many smaller towns in East Texas.
Kenny loved his family, but did not like the grocery business. He loved television, especially television news. He began his career at KTRE in Lufkin at 17. By 18 he was the Sports Director. At 19 he went to KPRC in Houston and began an amazing career that would span more than forty years.
Before he was through, he had been an overnight crime photographer and reporter, news producer, investigative journalist, anchorman, network field producer, and executive news producer in major markets developing national stories.
Then he took a breath and moved back to East Texas, to Tyler, where he was News Director at KLTV. He molded the station into a regular Emmy winner. He hired young people just beginning their careers and taught them how to do the craft, and do it right. He nurtured his senior staff members, helping them to advance their careers based on what he taught them.
His latest project wasn’t so big…just re-designing the way news content is gathered, produced and presented to the growing digital audiences. Kenny designed “the newsroom of the future”. Raycom Media’s KLTV is the ONLY station in the country taking this bold step into an unknown news landscape. His eyes were always looking for the next big thing.
And, in all of that, he always put family first. He adored his mother, Ann, treasured his sisters and their husbands, all of the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the family.
He loved his wife, Cynthia, earning the name St. Kenny for saving her life at least twice during the brain “unpleasantness”. During her hospitalization, he stayed by her side in the Dallas hospital room, running KLTV from his laptop and phone.
Cynthia, by the way, loved him right back. They married on May 26, 1979, in a beautiful spot in the Houston Arboretum. They made many promises, including to stay together until death did them part.
Kenny and Cynthia had two boys, Travis and Tyler. These wildly creative and intelligent young men were, and are, the joy of their lives together. They truly gained a daughter when Travis married Erin Irvin.
In June of 2015, Kenny and Cynthia became Gamma and Gampa and found a new, true calling. Kenny was a brilliant grandfather, full of stories and songs and funny noises.
Many, many people were touched by Kenny’s remarkable life. He leaves a hole in our hearts that is shaped something like an Emmy statue, a golf club, a suitcase, and a heart.
Memorial service for Kenny, are schedule 4:00 P.M. Saturday, February 17, 2018 at First Christian Church, Tyler.
R.I.P. Kenny Boles.
Kenny’s heart was captured by Kingsley Ella Boles, the most enchanting grandbaby in the world. He’d say, “Is this my GRANDBABY?” and that was her signal to give Gampa a big hug. He planned surprises. He sent her videos. He sang “Sixteen Tons” whenever she wished. He would have wrapped up the sun, moon and stars if she asked. His last gift before going to the hospital was a tricycle – and she was delighted. They were both delighted, all the time, just to be together.
PLEASE SHARE YOUR REMEMBRANCES OF KENNY TO KINGSLEY’S OWN EMAIL. SHE WILL HAVE YOUR MEMORIES TO ADD TO HER OWN. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND HOW YOU KNEW KENNY. YOU WILL GIVE THIS LITTLE GIRL A GIFT MORE PRECIOUS THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18