Robert Boemler brought on smiles with his barbershop harmonies
January 25th, 2008, 6:35 pm Hobby Shops
“He is very well-known in the barbershop world,” said longtime friend and fellow barbershop singer Grover Baker. Born in Indianapolis, Boemler played the French horn in his high-school band. He met his wife, Miriam, after cutting in during a ballroom dance at school. The two had their first date, which evolved into a 64-year marriage, at a showing of Gone with the Wind. “It was love at first sight and ever after,” said Miriam Boemler. The couple moved to Miami after Robert Boemler served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was director of Civil Defense in Miami during the Cuban missile crisis. Following in an uncle’s footsteps, he began barbershop singing in the 1950s in Miami. Stephen Boemler said his father rehearsed three or four times a week and was able to sing tenor, lead, baritone and bass. While his young family was growing up, Robert Boemler took them camping and traveling, and singing was a family-oriented activity, Stephen Boemler said. The children often fell asleep to barbershop music, and Robert Boemler sang at each of his children’s weddings. “He was the best father in the world,” said his daughter Phyllis Swenson. In 1967, Boemler went to work at Cape Canaveral as an engineer on the Saturn and Apollo mission projects. He and his wife moved to Orlando in 1970, where he worked as an engineer with Martin-Marietta until his retirement. He enjoyed singing at hospitals and nursing homes and especially for children, Stephen Boemler said. Some of his favorite artists were Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and Glenn Miller. “He loved people, and he loved to see them smile when he sang,” he said. Boemler also is survived by son Larry Boemler of Miami; brother George Boemler of Summerville; sister Norma Barker of Rhode Island; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Newcomer Family Funeral Home, East Orlando Chapel, is handling arrangements. Nicole Blake can be reached at nblake@orlandosentinel.com.
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