'HE WAS A HAPPY, GENTLE MAN' FAMILY RECALLS HARDWORKING PATRIARCH WHO DIED JULY 31.Byline: Holly J. Andres Staff Writer A hardworking man whose family and home were the passions of his life, that is how Clarence ``CB'' Boswell will be remembered. A resident of San Fernando since the 1940s, Boswell died at home on July 31 from complications of emphysema emphysema (ĕmfĭsē`mə), pathological or physiological enlargement or overdistention of the air sacs of the lungs. A major cause of pulmonary insufficiency in chronic cigarette smokers, emphysema is a progressive disease that commonly and cancer. He was 80. ``I think most of us will remember him saying over the phone, 'When are you coming up?''' said son Ron Boswell. ``He really enjoyed family gatherings. Dad loved people. I never heard him say anything bad about anybody. He was a quiet, hardworking, loyal and honest man.'' Boswell went to work at age 13, picking cucumbers - for which he developed a lifelong aversion - to help out with family finances. He graduated from San Fernando High School San Fernando High School, located in San Fernando, California, is a secondary school that is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school colors are black and gold. All girl teams are referred to as Lady Tigers, all boy teams simply as Tigers. in 1942, then worked construction jobs in downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or and in the oil fields of Avenal, Calif. During the 1940s, he worked for Bagman and Wells, making military flotation devices. He also worked at Lockheed in Burbank from 1944 to 1945, then took up the plastering plastering, house construction technique involving the application of plaster to walls and ceilings, exterior plasterwork being of a different composition and generally known as stucco. trade, from which he retired in 1987. ``He was a happy, gentle man,'' said daughter Lenna Welling. ``He had a glint in his eye when he smiled and a sheepish sheep·ish adj. 1. Embarrassed, as by consciousness of a fault: a sheepish grin. 2. Meek or stupid. sheep grin when he was going to tease you. He was so handsome and fun-loving. ``From him I learned how to work hard and do the job right the first time. His philosophy was to not waste anything, especially money.'' Clarence Everett Boswell was born on Jan. 12, 1925, in Branson, Mo. He moved to San Fernando with his parents and siblings in 1938. His mother was fearful of earthquakes and persuaded her husband to move back to Missouri. Boswell, however, chose to stay with his three older brothers. He met Mildred Straub on a blind date at a movie theater in San Fernando. They were married on Oct. 22, 1944. The couple bought a lot in 1948 in San Fernando, and, with the help of family members, Boswell built the family house. ``He was a man of integrity,'' said granddaughter Janette Duffy. ``He was a simple man, but his knowledge ran deep. He was really proud of his part Native American heritage - Cherokee. His basic truth was family came first. He was really a classy character.'' Boswell took pride in his home, including his carefully weeded dichondra di·chon·dra n. A small creeping herb (Dichondra micrantha) commercially cultivated as a substitute for lawn grass. [New Latin, genus name : di-1 + Greek khondros, front lawn and his backyard garden, where he grew tomatoes, green beans, radishes and strawberries. His pastimes were working crossword puzzles, rooting for the Lakers and playing pinochle pinochle (pē`nŭ'kəl), card game, probably derived from bezique, that was developed in the United States in the 19th cent. Pinochle is played by two, three, or four players, with a deck of 48 cards containing two each of the aces, face and pitch. In his younger years, Boswell enjoyed bowling, dancing and going on camping trips with his family. His favorite music was country western, especially music by Marty Robbins, Patsy Cline, Gene Autry and Johnny Cash. Boswell is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mildred; his children, Lenna Welling, Mary Buitron and Ronald Boswell; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A daughter, Martha Weaver, and a son, Michael, preceded him in death. A funeral Mass was held on Wednesday at St. Ferdinand Roman Catholic Church Roman Catholic Church, Christian church headed by the pope, the bishop of Rome (see papacy and Peter, Saint). Its commonest title in official use is Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. in San Fernando. Boswell is buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery The San Fernando Mission Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery operated by the Los Angeles Archdiocese since 1800, and is located at 11160 Stranwood Avenue in the Mission Hills community of northern Los Angeles, California, near the Mission San Fernando Rey de España. in Mission Hills. Donations in his memory may be sent to lung or Alzheimer's research. Holly Andres, (818) 713-3708 holly.andres(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: BOSWELL |
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