Karl Boeckmann, Valley Leader, Dies

Karl Boeckmann, a decades-long civic and business leader in the San Fernando Valley, died Wednesday following an eight-year battle with cancer. He was 85.A statement put out by Galpin Motors said he “comfortably passed away at home, surrounded by his wife Thyra and family.”An accountant by trade, Boeckmann was a longtime executive with Galpin, which is owned by his brother and which comprises a collection of auto dealerships. But Boeckmann was widely known for his civic involvement.His charitable contributions to the community include serving on the boards of Goodwill, New Directions for Youth, Pierce College, the Diabetes Association, the Fernando Award Foundation and what was then named Providence Tarzana Hospital. Boeckmann also was a founding director of the LAPD Valley Foundation, and he was very involved in the Justice Armand Arabian Leaders in Public Service Awards, which honors those who contribute in some way to the Valley area civic and business community.He won many awards and honors over the years. He is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, One Generation Hearts Across the Valley award, Philanthropist of the Year and in 2004 was given the Fernando Award for outstanding community leadership and service. He was regularly included in the Business Journal’s Valley 200 list of most influential people, including one published two weeks ago.Pegi Matsuda, a civic leader who currently is co-chair of the Fernando Award Foundation, where Boeckmann served from 2005 until 2016, said he was a kind person who dedicated himself to his family and friends as well as the wider community.“Working with Karl was truly a great experience and we all learned to be better community volunteers,” Matsuda said. “The San Fernando Valley lost a great leader yesterday.”The statement from Galpin said: “Over his lifetime, Karl built a legacy of dedication, hard work, integrity, leadership and community involvement. Both he and Thyra have volunteered an immeasurable amount of time and energy to a variety of worthy causes.”Boeckmann was born and raised in Glendale. After graduating from USC, he spent two years in the Army and then worked five years for the accounting firm that became Touche Ross.In 1964, he joined his brother, Bert Boeckmann, at Galpin Ford in North Hills. Bert Boeckmann that year had become majority owner and president of the car dealership that went on to be the largest seller of Fords for 29 years and which spawned more than a dozen other car dealerships and related entities. Karl Boeckmann remained a vice president of Galpin Motors.Bert Boeckmann’s wife, Jane Boeckmann, 90, died three months ago.Services for Karl Boeckmann are pending.