Charles Boyle

Charles Joseph O’Brien Boyle, second son of Thomas and Sara Boyle and husband of Theresa Smith, born November 10, 1927 in Wilmington, DE passed away on February 18, 2022 in Kiln, MS at the age of 94.

Charles, named in memory of his maternal grandfather, graduated from Salesianum School, Wilmington, DE; Catholic University of America (BA & MA), Washington, DC and the Angelicum, Rome, Italy.  After graduation, he began ministry in Wilmington.

In 1965 shortly before Hurricane Betsy, Charles began ministry in New Orleans as assistant pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Church.  In addition to his church duties, in 1968, he began “The Center”, a non-profit, non-denominational   recreational center for boys and girls in the “Bywater” area of New Orleans.  “The Center”, funded by several prominent businessmen at a location on Royal Street, operated with a membership of 250-300 participants until the end of the summer in 1975.  In the fall of 1975, Charles began a non-denominational Christian ministry on Poland Avenue which included teaching, prayer and fellowship meetings for young and older adults.   In 1980, he expanded the Bywater Ministry to include a retreat property in Kiln, MS.  In 1983, Charles and Theresa were married.  As the retreat (“advances”) ministry at “Beth Yeshua” or “Jesus House” grew, he closed the Poland Avenue site and in 1991 moved completely to Kiln.  His ministry at that time included “advances”, individual and small group prayer meetings, and the lending of “Beth Yeshua” to local and regional ministries.  In addition, he became an active member of the “Jolly Boys” a nickname that he attached to the members of the Hancock Ministerial Alliance.

After Hurricane Katrina, for the next four or five years, “Beth Yeshua” housed many groups of volunteers from many states who assisted in recovery operations.  In addition, Charles led a local week-end prayer meeting at “Beth Yeshua” and began an active “Drive By” Prayer Ministry.  This ministry was meeting people as he drove on errands and finding out their “Top Priority Need” to pray about. Later he began his Internet Prayer Chain.  Charles loved the Lord and he loved people and his greatest desire was to get them together into a growing relationship with each other. He also loved nicknames and made them up for almost everyone that he met.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Thomas E. Boyle, Jr; and three sisters, Jean Boyle, Victorine Boyle Buckley and Mary Boyle Mansure.  He is survived by his sister, Angela Boyle; five nephews; four nieces; twelve great nephews and six great nieces. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a stepson, J. Adrian Smith, Adrian’s wife, Cheryl, and Adrian’s son, Bolton.

Instead of flowers, please pray for this nation and for all of the ministries of the “Jolly Boys”.

The visitation for family and friends will be held on Saturday, February 26, 2022 beginning at 1:00pm until the funeral service at 2:00pm at Riemann Family Funeral Home, 9113 Kiln Delisle Rd., Pass Christian.