EAST HERKIMER-Gene Alan Boyer age 43 of Shells Bush Road passed away on Thursday afternoon January 4, 2007 in Saint Elizabeths Medical Center, Utica after a long illness. He was born on December 19, 1963 in Herkimer, son of Hubert and Betty Lowell Boyer. Gene was raised in East Herkimer and was a graduate of Herkimer High School with the class of 1982. He at one time worked for the Herkimer Evening Telegram until 1991 when he moved to Tucson, AZ. While in Tucson he was employed by the Tucson Citizen and Daily Star newspaper. In April of 2006 he returned to Herkimer where he has resided since. Gene had a strong belief in God and was a member if the First Baptist Church Herkimer. In his leisure time he enjoyed arts and crafts, singing and especially entertaining his friends and family with playing his harmonica. But his real love was the warm air, the colorful mountains and splendid desert sands of Arizona and his dream of returning there one day. To his family he was a caring, loving and hopeful person and will be truly missed. Surviving are his parents Hubert and Betty Boyer of East Herkimer, two brothers, Dr. Douglas Boyer and his wife Susan of Daniels, West Virginia, Eric Boyer and his companion Sherri Ammermann of East Herkimer, two sisters and their husbands, Sandra and Gary Cirrillo, Cheryl and Gregory Miller all of East Herkimer, several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his special niece and nephew Rhiannon and Dustyn Boyer. Funeral service will be on Saturday at 4:00 pm in Fenner Funeral Home Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer. The Reverend Patti Lawrence, Pastor of the First Baptist Church Herkimer will officiate. Interment will take place later this spring in Mountain View Memorial Gardens. The family will be present in the funeral home to receive relatives and friends on Saturday two hours prior to the funeral service (2:00 to 4:00pm).