Kerri Lyn Boardman

Kerri was born at San Diego Sharpe Hospital on March 26th, 1964, the second child of Norman & Mary Dahl. As a member of one of the area’s original “backcountry” families, she spent her early childhood in San Diego’s beautiful East County, an experience which instilled a lifelong love of nature. The family soon moved further west, to Clairemont, where Kerri graduated from James Madison High School in 1982. Following graduation, she attended Mesa College and worked briefly with her father at General Dynamics. Her true passion, though, was early childhood education, which soon led to a special education teaching assistant job with the school district. It was here that she met her first husband, Harold “Mac” McAvenia, who was the bus driver for her students. They were married in 1987, and in 1991, were blessed with 16 month-old twins, Hayden and Hannah. Life with two toddlers became even busier with addition of Eliza, born in 1992. Being a mom was everything Kerri had ever hoped for and she relished every moment.

In 1995, the family moved to Colorado, where they became involved in their local schools, community, and church, creating a large network of friends thanks to Kerri’s kind and outgoing nature.

In 2011, Kerri met David Boardman and the two quickly fell in love. She accompanied him to his home country of England following the passing of his father in 2012, and was charmed by the countryside and villages. The two were married on July 19th, 2013 and built a home together in Castle Rock, filled with laughter and banter over the silliest of events. Over the next few years, they became grandparents to three little boys—Killian, Arlo, and Ryder—whom they deeply adored. Spending time together, and with their grand-babies, was priceless for both of them, and Kerri always had a smile on her face when she was holding a baby. It was during this time that she realized her dream of opening an in-home preschool, where she was able to share her gift for nurturing the minds and souls of children.

Kerri had the ability to make anyone feel comfortable and welcome, and was warmly accepting of people from all walks of life. She sang beautiful lullabies, loved music of every genre, was an avid reader, and was a sponge for all things pop culture-related. There was no need for Google with Kerri around, and if she was on your trivia team, you were virtually guaranteed the win. She loved her dogs and “grand-dogs”, and always made sure they were properly spoiled with love and treats. Kerri had a particular talent for decorating, and her homes were always gracious and welcoming, with picture-perfect style that could have been lifted from the pages of a design magazine.

Having recently retired, David and Kerri were making preparations for their next adventure: moving to England with plans for finding a little stone cottage, and anticipating lots of traveling together.

Kerri passed away on June 9th, 2022 following an acute and sudden illness. She was preceded in death by her father in 2000, and her mother in 2020. Kerri will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and the greater community of which she had been such an integral part.

A local Castle Rock celebration of life will be held on June 25th from 6:30-8:30 p.m., followed by another in the San Diego area on September 2nd. Please reach out to the family for further details if you wish to attend either service.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.OlingerAndrews.com for the Boardman family.