Wendell Boyle, aged 78, of Rising Sun, MD, passed from this earth into Heaven on December 4, 2014 after a long and courageous battle against cancer. Born February 18, 1936 in West Grove, PA, he was the son of the late George and Emily Terry Boyle.

Wendell was a veteran having served in the Delaware Air National Guard in the late 1950s. He attended and graduated from the Air Force Jet Refueling school in Wyoming after graduating from Rising Sun High School, Class of 1955.

Wendell was a long-distance truck driver for most of his life and traveled over the entire United States and parts of Canada. During one of his weekly excursions into Canada, he noticed a pick-up truck with an emblem on the door, which read “Transport for Christ”. He followed the pick-up to its destination, and promptly introduced himself to the driver. He became fast friends with the people who ran Transport for Christ in Canada, a Christian ministry to truck drivers. Wendell is credited with bringing the organization into the U.S. and is affectionately known in the U.S. as “The Father of TFC.” Today, more than 30 TFC Mobile Chapels are stationed in truck stops and travel centers throughout the U.S., so that no trucker should have to drive more than a day without being able to find a TFC Mobile Chapel.

Wendell was a member of Grace Bible Chapel in Rising Sun, MD, and at various times has served in different capacities in the church including deacon. He loved cars and owned 2 antique cars, which he entered in parades in Rising Sun and participated in Grace Bible Chapel’s “Burger Runs.” He was also happy to chauffer brides and grooms in the antique cars. He was a huge fan of NASCAR and had personally encountered many of the NASCAR drivers at Dover Downs, breaching the barricades in order to do so. In one instance, he jumped in with the pit crew and started rolling tires into the pit area. Wendell was a talented story-teller and loved to tell stories from his childhood, teen years, and truck-driving years.

Wendell is survived by his wife of 57 years, Betty Marie Thomas Boyle of Rising Sun, MD; daughter Kathy and husband Gary Creese of Rising Sun, MD; son Kenneth Boyle and wife Patricia of Palm Harbor FL; grandchildren Peter Krentz, Kaye Creese Fager, Kyle Brandon Boyle, Jaimee Marie Creese, and Kaitlyn Elizabeth Boyle; great-grandchildren Rachael Jones, Ethan Krentz, Adam Fager, Alyssa Fager, Andrew Fager, Jaelynn Jester, Carter Sells, and Kaden Boyle; and Wendell is survived by his brother, Quentin Boyle and wife Bee of Lake City, FL.

Services will be held at Grace Bible Chapel, 1949 Biggs Highway, Rising Sun, MD on Tuesday December 9, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. with a visitation at R.T. Foard Funeral Home, P.A., 111 S. Queen St., Rising Sun, MD 21911on Monday December 8 from 6-8:00 p.m. or one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in West Nottingham Cemetery.