Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE:BSX) co-founder John Abele will not stand for re-election to the company’s board when his current term expires in May. Two other long-time board members — Marye Anne Fox and Ray Groves — also plan to step down.

The moves were disclosed in regulatory documents filed today by the company. Abele, 74, has been a member of Boston Scientific’s board since the company’s founding in 1979, sitting as co-chairman with former CEO and co-founder Pete Nicholas from that time through 1995.

Abele will be named a director emeritus once his term formally expires, according to the filings.

Click here for our June 2010 interview with John Abele

Groves, 75, a former executive at Marsh Inc., has been a board member at the Natick, Mass.-based medical device maker since 1999. Fox, 63, joined the board in 2001 and is a former educator, with stints as chancellor at the University of California-San Diego and North Carolina State University.

BSX didn’t give reasons for the departures or name any successor candidates yet who will stand for election at the next annual shareholders’ meeting, typically held in mid-May.