Boyles are named parade’s grand marshals

By Kathryn Rice

Bud and Mary Boyles, Maryville, are honored and thrilled to be named the 2021 Nodaway County Fair Parade Grand Marshals.

The Boyles moved to Nodaway County in 1972 when Bud went into partnership with RL Wilkinson of Wilkinson’s Motors, the Chevy dealership. Bud took over the GM dealership in 1984. The dealership was sold to Meyers April 1, 2015, and the Boyles retired.

“I miss the employees and the customers,” Bud said. “But I don’t miss General Motors one dime.”

Mary commented how she enjoys seeing former customers when she shops for groceries.

Fair Board President Rex Wallace said, “It was because of everything Boyles Motors and the Boyles family did for the Nodaway County Fair during the beginning. I would go pick up the keys to the wrecker and go to every park in Nodaway County to pick up bleachers and picnic tables.

“Then I and Joe Moore would take all of that back Saturday night, working until 6 am, Sunday morning. I would return the wrecker and drop the keys in the night drop. That was how much the Boyles trusted us. We never paid for the use of the wrecker or for the gas used.

“Without Bud and Mary Boyles, the fair would have been much harder and more costly to accomplish,” Wallace said.

“I probably loaned them anything they wanted,” Bud said. “We were very involved with the town.”

“We enjoy music, the old country tunes,” Mary said.

Bud and Mary have performed with groups at the fair. Mary plays the banjo and sings and Bud the dobro, a stringed instrument which sounds like a steel guitar. Bud also has a sound system with several boards which he runs. The couple practices several times a week.

The couple has performed at oprys in the area and even performed at the state fair.

On selling the dealership, Bud and Mary wanted someone honest to take it over. The Meyers are fine people they both said and thought Meyers would do right by Maryville and the Boyles’ customers.

The couple lived in Wilcox before recently moving back to the Maryville house which they had built. Bud and Mary built a covered bridge across Peach Creek to join their properties. The neighborhood children use the big open field to play football and baseball. The Boyles request the children not ride bicycles across the yard. They also expressed concern about children playing by the creek when it’s running full from rains.

“We’re proud to be a part of Maryville,” Bud said. “It’s been good to us and has supported us. It’s an honor to be named grand marshals. That’s what I told Rex when he asked us.”