Charles "Burt" Boyer

Enrolled in the Kentucky School for the Blind at age 11 in 1951, attended the Foundation School at Berea College 1957-58, and graduated from the Virginia School for the Blind in 1959. In 1968 Burt graduated from the Virginia Commonwealth University with degree in Elementary Education with emphasis in special education. In 1968 he taught 6th grade in a Virginia public school program. From 1968-72 he was a teacher and Coach at the Indiana School for the Blind. From 1972-79 he was the supervising Teacher, then Principal at the West Virginia School for the Blind. In 1973 Burt graduated from Ball State University with M.A. in Education. In 1978 Burt received Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) Certification from Eastern Michigan University. He was the superintendent of the South Dakota School for the Visually Handicapped 1979-86. He was the superintendent of the California School for the Blind 1986-94 and was the Executive Director of the Lions Center for the Blind of Oakland 1995-2002. Burt served as the Early Childhood Project Director at the American Printing House for the Blind from 2002-14. Burt’s list of accomplishments include: Star wrestler in high school with a 102-6 record in Kentucky and Virginia, the President of the Council of Schools for the Blind, Chairman (twice) of the California Transcribers and Educators of the Blind and Visually Impaired (CTEBVI), President of the Northern California Association of Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) and Recipient of the William English Leadership Award.

Burt was a proud product of both his family and his Eastern Kentucky roots. He was extremely proud of his heritage and he loved the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. Burt was raised by his grandmother, the greatest influence in his life, who ran boarding houses for Intermountain Coal and Lumber Company in Harlan and Leslie Counties. He never forgot Nancy Margaret Browning, his grandmother telling him, “Burton, God will judge you by how you treat people.” He lived by that! Burt had amazingly strong humanistic attributes. He truly never met a stranger. He talked with you and never forgot you -- and you didn’t forget him. He loved people and people loved him.

Charles Burton Boyer is survived by his sons, Bradley Boyer and William Boyer; his grandsons, Liam Boyer and Caelan Boyer; his 3 sisters, Vaughnette Boyer Koenemann, Laverne Lambdin Money and Margarette Lambdin Pennington; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Burt’s life will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, September 28th at Arch Heady - Cralle Funeral Home, 2428 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, KY, with guests invited to a visitation after 12pm.

In lieu of flowers, donation to be made to the Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation, and wear your UK BLUE!!

There will be a gathering immediately following at the American Printing House for the Blind.

Charles “Burt” Boyer