Photo above, "courtesy of Clayton Francis Boyce."

This profile is an adaptation from the book, Four Generations-A Family History by Clayton Francis Boyce

Adrian Allen Boyce and Doretta Bailer

Adrian Allen Boyce was born on April 10, 1901. In his younger years, he went by the nickname "Jim." His son Jim recalls his father telling him that prior to his marriage, Adrian worked for a time in Eastern Washington on road-oiling jobs. He may have also worked in the fruit orchards with Cecil and Ham. There are pictures of Adrian that are in Clayton's mother's album, taken in Prosser in 1922. Since he did not make the trip with his mother and Cecil, Ham and Beryl, described earlier, he must have gone over there for a visit after they got there. Perhaps he went over there to work at a later time.



Adrian was married to Doretta Bailer, the daughter of long time island residents. For many years, they farmed the 280 acre Bailer farm in San Juan Valley near False Bay. Adrian also did some commercial fishing in the early years of their marriage. During World War II, they lived in Seattle for four years, where Adrian worked as a carpenter in a shipyard. They then went back to San Juan Island, where they farmed until 1959. That year they moved to Mt. Vernon, Washington, where they operated a dairy farm for many years. While living in Mt. Vernon, they were members of the Burlington church of Christ.

Pictured at left, from left to right: Adrian Allen Boyce, his sister, Edna Beryl Boyce, and brother, James Hamilton (Ham) Boyce
Photo "courtesy of Katherine (Kitty) Mildred Beryl Wade-Roberts."

Adrian and Doretta Boyce had two children. Their son, James Allen Boyce and his wife Donna live in Woodinville, Washington. Jim was born on October 12, 1938. He graduated from Friday Harbor High School and from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, specializing in dairy management. Jim worked for Arden Dairy for a short time, but has worked for Safeway as a working manager in their milk plant since 1963. Jim is also very interested in our family history and he has done considerable research himself on our forebears. Jim grew up on San Juan Island. Jim and his wife Donna have three children. Jolee is married to Wayne Boushee. Jeffrey and Jim are as yet unmarried (November, 1995). Adrian and Doretta's daughter Linda is married to John Morgan and lives in Arco, Idaho. She and her husband have a son Robert, whose wife is named Mia. Linda has also been quite active in researching and gathering family history.

"One of the things I remember about my Uncle Adrian, recalls Clayton, was the way he would look at me sort of sideways with a certain twinkle in his eye and a little grin. It always seemed like there was some hidden amusement back behind his outward expression. Although I was not around him all that much when I was a kid, I remember that when I was, I would wait for him to acknowledge me with that particular look of his, and then when he did, I experienced a satisfaction that is difficult to explain. He didn't talk as much as my dad, but when he did, I always made sure to listen, because he always had something interesting to say in that somewhat soft-spoken voice of his."

Pictured at left, from left to right: Adrian Allen Boyce, Cecil Verner Boyce, and James Hamilton (Ham) Boyce
Photo at left, "courtesy of Katherine (Kitty) Mildred Beryl Wade-Roberts."

Adrian died of kidney failure on February 15, 1984 at age 84. Doretta died at the home her daughter and son-in-law in Idaho in March, 1995. They are buried in Mt. Vernon.


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