Thomas O'Boyle

New Hampshire-Thomas E. O'Boyle, 64, beloved husband, father, and merchant marine chief engineer, passed away January 31st, 2021 in the comfort of his Eaton, NH home, surrounded by the people who love him most in this world. Born in Portland, Maine on August 29th, 1956 to James N. and Theresa A. O'Boyle (Blake), Thomas (Tom) was the third of four children. After graduating from Cheverus High School (class of '74) and Maine Maritime Academy (class of '78), Tom immediately set sail, traveling the world for his job and eventually meeting the love of his life, fellow chief engineer Marilyn Bowen, aboard the USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams. When they weren't out to sea, Tom and Marilyn were nearly inseparable and split their time between New England and various locations in Florida (most recently Hudson, FL), spending quality time with Tom's children, and working on several homes together throughout the years. Tom left shipping in 2008 and, after a brief "retirement" spent traveling across Canada and the United States by RV, he went to work ashore for Maersk Lines. The RV life must have stuck with him though, because after leaving the shipping industry in 2014 Tom and Marilyn purchased The Beach Camping Area in Conway, NH - a pivot that surprised many but suited him perfectly and provided endless opportunities for projects. Through The Beach Camping Area, Tom met many enduring friends and enjoyed a close family atmosphere, a change of pace after spending so many years abroad. Tom was truly passionate about his work - in looking through mementos from his life, there are as many photos of dry dock, propellers, and flooded engine rooms as there are photos of vacations and holidays. And his love of engineering didn't stop at shipping. Tom was a talented mechanic, built and renovated his own homes, and could fix just about anything. "Lazy" is about the last way anyone would describe him - Tom always had a project going. But his passions went beyond the mechanical. He was a talented cook - always searching for and saving recipes - and he will be remembered for his baking, his pizza, and several fish dishes that his children will never quite be able to replicate. Tom was highly opinionated, and loved keeping up with the news and arguing about politics with just about anyone, especially his kids. While they didn't always see eye to eye on politics, Tom always encouraged his children to think for themselves, guiding them to make their own decisions. He passed on to his children his appreciation for Lou Reed and Bob Dylan, his work ethic, and his dedication to doing what you love. He taught them to run machinery, fix their own cars, and that there was no project too big to take on. But he was equally encouraging of creative endeavors and was always interested to hear about their own adventures, too. Tom truly lived his life on his own terms, with every move and decision carefully considered. When asked to describe him, most would simply say "good guy". He will be missed dearly. Thomas leaves behind his wife of 26 years, Marilyn Bowen of Eaton, NH and Hudson, FL; his daughter, Julie O'Boyle and her husband Christopher Sharp of Portland, ME; his daughter, Caroline O'Boyle of Brownfield, ME; his son, John O'Boyle and his partner Abby Lewis of Government Camp, OR; his brother, James O'Boyle and his wife Patricia of Billerica, MA; his brother, Joseph O'Boyle and his wife Jessie of Ocala, FL; Joseph's children, Caitlyn, Nicholas, and Kellie; and many more family and friends. He is predeceased by his parents and his sister, Elizabeth Grimm (O'Boyle). Visiting hours celebrating Thomas' life will be held Thursday, May 20, 2021 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland, ME. Prayers will be recited at the funeral home on Friday, May 21, 2021 at 10:15am followed by an 11:00am Mass of Christian Burial at St. Joseph's Church, 673 Stevens Ave., Portland, ME. Burial will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, Yarmouth, ME. Following state mandates, masks are required for all services. To view Thomas' memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit www.ConroyTullyWalker.com Those who wish may make contributions in Thomas' memory to: Jen's Friends Cancer Foundation (jensfriends.org/)