ITHACA –  Charles Lawrence Boykin Sr., age 87 of Ithaca, passed away on Friday April 3, 2009 at Cortland Memorial Hospital. Chuck was born February 15, 1922, in Indianapolis, IN, a son of the late Howard and Velma Brown Boykin. The Boykin family moved to Ithaca when he was 2 years old. Chuck served in the US Marine Corp. during World War II and was in active duty from April 1942 to August 1945.

He owned and operated Charles Boykin’s Body Shop on West State St. for 25 years until moving his business to West Clinton St. for 3 years before he retired. He was a member of the Ithaca B.O.E. Elks #636, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, and he was past president of the Danby Pirates Club.

He will be deeply missed by his family.  Survivors include his loving wife of 61 years, Shirley A. Boykin; his daughter,  Cindy (Jack) Easton; his two sons, Scott Boykin and Charles (Madonna) Boykin Jr.; a sister,  Dorothy Rankin; four grandchildren, Bethany (Craig) Morrison , Tiffany (David) Loveday, Courtney Easton,  and Ryan Boykin;  two great-grandchildren, Gracin Loveday and Alexis Morrison; a special niece, Bonnie (St. Clair) Cornish, and several other nieces and nephews.  Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his two brothers, Howard and Paul Boykin; and a sister, Virginia Snow.  

Funeral Services will be private and at the convenience of the family. Private burial will be in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Cayuga Heights. Arrangements were completed by the Herson Funeral Home.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either the American Heart Assn. or American Lung Assn.