BOLEY, Raymond A.

The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona Tuesday, January 21, 2003 Raymond A. Boley died peacefully at home on January 20th, 2003. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1915. Ray was involved in the fields of radio, advertising, film and record production. After service in the Army during World War II, Ray and his first wife, Mary, settled in Phoenix. One of Ray's first jobs was with KOY radio. In 1948 he opened the first recording studio in Phoenix called Arizona Recording Productions. In 1951 he launched two media enterprises, Canyon Films and Canyon Records. Under Boley's leadership Canyon Films became the leading documentary and commercial film company in Arizona producing films for such Fortune 500 companies as GE, Motorola, Del Webb in addition to many government and social service agencies. His Canyon Records became the leading record label specializing in Native American music as well as the first national and international distributor of Native American music. Canyon was recognized as the first company to focus on marketing music to the Native Americans and Ray was widely respected in the native community for his support and generosity. Ray produced over 350 recordings which included the Grammy nominated "Ancestral Voices" and the gold record "Canyon Trilogy". In 1995 he was recognized by the Phoenix Indian Center for "Outstanding Contribution to the Indian Community by a Non-Indian". In 1999 he received the "Native Heart" award from the Native American Music Awards in recognition for his contributions to Native American music. He retired from Canyon Records in 1992. Ray was actively involved in civic events in Phoenix: as member and one-time president of the Phoenix Advertising Club, as a charter and lifelong member and two-time president of the Serra Club of Phoenix, as a member of the Heard Museum's Board of Directors, and as a member of the United Way and of the Community Council among other organizations. He was also active in Irish affairs including charter membership in the Phoenix chapter of the Irish American Cultural Institute. His first wife, Mary, died in 1990, and he remarried in 1993 to Monica Falvey, a native of Ireland who survives him. He was preceded in death by parents, brother Joseph, brother Edward, a Roman Catholic priest, and sister Ona. Contributions, in lieu of flowers, can be to the Phoenix Indian Medical Center Auxiliary (PIMCA) Scholarship Fund, 4212 North 16th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85016 or the Phoenix Serra Club, care of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, 400 East Monroe, Phoenix, Arizona, 85004. Visitation is from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., with Scripture Reading at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2003, at Whitney & Murphy Arcadia Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd. A Requiem Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, January 23rd, 2003, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 4715 N. Central Avenue. Burial will be private. Courtesy of Pat Wilson.