A family focused on comfort
A furnace needs fixing in Elkton. An air conditioner needs a tune-up in New Castle. Someone needs a shower repaired in Kennett Square. Chances are that if you’ve owned a home in one of those counties where Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania meet, Urie and Nancy Boulden’s family business has helped keep you comfortable.
A bad knee and a good match
Born in Camden in 1938, Urie went to basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. While there, he blew out his knee. While he was recuperating, his sister reached out to the mother of a neighbor she had met while going to college in Baltimore, and asked her to visit Urie. Urie often visited the house for meals and to swim. That summer, his sister’s friend, Nancy, came home. Soon, Urie and Nancy were dating. Eventually they married and had two sons and a daughter.
Years earlier—in 1946—Urie’s father, Urie Boulden, Sr., and Urie’s uncle Omar had started a coal company in Newark, Delaware, and they soon expanded into heating oil. In 1959, Urie got into the business and, a few years later, bought Boulden Brothers and changed the name to Boulden Oil Company. Over time, he expanded his offerings to better serve customers, adding burner service, septic tank cleanout, and oil and propane.
All in the family
In 1988, the couple’s son Tim started working in the company’s motor oil division; four years later his brother Mike began working in the oil and propane division. With the boys on board, Urie continued to grow the business, adding water conditioning, plumbing, and heating/ventilation/air conditioning and, eventually, electrical services.
In 2007, Urie sold the business to the couple’s sons, who changed the name back to Boulden Brothers. Today, with 50 employees, they focus on plumbing, HVAC and electric. The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce has recognized the company as a Superstar in Business and the News Journal named it a Top Workplace. The company has also earned the Delaware Better Business Bureau’s highest honor—the Edward M. Rush Sr. Memorial Award for business that exemplifies family ideals towards business operations and customer relations.
The awards reflect Urie’s philosophy: “When in business, meet your promise!”
Family and new friends
Urie and Nancy moved to Jenner’s Pond in 2020 in the midst of the global pandemic, and were greeted with a driveway get-together organized by their neighbors.
“Our immediate neighbors were so welcoming,” they said. “They made it easy for us to meet everyone.”
The couple remains very active in their church, and they enjoy spending time with their children and seven grandchildren. Who knows? Maybe a fourth generation will follow Urie’s footsteps into the family business!
Call us today at 610-869-6800 or submit the form below to see why The Bouldens and others with entrepreneurial spirit choose Jenner’s Pond for retirement living.