Tyler Rulon Boatman

Tyler Rulon Boatman was born August 28, 1999, in Salem, Oregon and left our world much sooner than any of us wanted him to, on April 6, 2022, in Salem, Oregon. Though his life was short, it was immensely full.

Tyler attended Stayton High School and graduated in 2017, he grew up in the Santiam Canyon.

Tyler was a man with a big heart, diverse sense of humor, genuine smile, and contagious laugh.

Tyler was very family focused. He would always make time to attend family functions, help when needed, or even just stop by in between work shifts to say hi and give hugs and cuddles. Tyler was an amazing, caring, and loving brother. He thoroughly enjoyed riding BMX bikes and driving RC cars with his brothers. He cared deeply for his grandparents and one of his favorite things to do was to bake cookies with Grandma Betty. He enjoyed going to the indoor BMX bike park and airsoft battles with his mom; working on restoring his Dodge truck and camping with his dad, and was always up for a trip to the mountains to go four wheeling in the snow or mud with his families.

He was always ready to help with any project or venture that anyone needed help with and saw it through to the end. Tyler was a hard worker who always made sure to make friends and make people laugh while he was doing it. Anyone who knew him can attest to the fact that he could always make someone laugh, no matter how serious the situation was.

Tyler was very mechanically inclined and always had something he was tinkering on, whether a truck (or two or five), a dirt bike, street bike or RC car. If you didn’t know where he was, look in his or anyone else’s garage or shop, and you’d find him. He was also a very talented artist from a young age.

Tyler had an easy personality and made friends wherever he went. While he had a very large circle of people he knew, his circle of very close friends was small, and they are the ones who knew him best.

Tyler was a member of the Oregon Army National Guard Unit B12 218 Artillery McMinnville since 2018. While serving, he had many achievements, including National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Oregon Emergency Service Ribbon for 2021 COVID-19 Response for Members of Joint Task Force Guardian, Award of the Armed Forces Service Medal for Members of Joint Task Force Guardian. Tyler also was a superior marksman and earned the status of marksman with the Oregon Army National Guard.

Tyler was also part of the Task Force Arrow, which mobilized on September 28, 2019, for support to Operation Spartan Shield at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar. He had so many exciting stories to share about the culture, giant sand crabs, scorpions and the random stray cats that kept him and his battle buddies’ company during their tour of duty.

Tyler is preceded in death by his Nana, Sandra Smith and Papa, Dave Boatman. Tyler is survived by his parents Brooke Smith, David and Kristine Boatman; siblings from mother’s side Jaydn Eugene and Conner James; sibling from father’s side David Jeffrey Boatman; great grandmother Lois Jones; grandparents Bruce Neal, Betty Boatman, Kirk & Annette Jolma; many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Please join us for a service to remember and honor Tyler on Friday April 22, 2022, at 10:30am.

Salem Armory 2310 17 ^th St. NE, Salem, Oregon, 97303.

A private burial will be held at Lone Oak Cemetery in Stayton, Oregon.