Lenore M. Boston

Lenore M. Boston, 69, died Saturday of liver failure brought on by hepatitis C. She contracted the disease while working as an emergency room nurse but went on to work another 20 years before retiring. Throughout her career, she showed the same compassion and fierce dedication to her patients' care that marked her service from its first days. Lenore was born on Aug. 13, 1937, in Milwaukee, WI, to Olive and Charles Meyer. She lived there until, at 18, she met John Crawford Boston, a Marine private first class and student at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, IL. They married in 1956 and set out on a life of military service, living on both coasts and in Texas as part of John's Marine Corps duty. During much of that time, Lenore reared the children alone while John served tours as a Marine aviator in such far-flung places as Guantanamo and the Far East. Lenore began her nurse training at Downer Junior College in Milwaukee and graduated from Pensacola Junior College in 1967, when she became a registered nurse. She worked at Parkland, Baptist and Presbyterian hospitals in Dallas and for more than 20 years at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin. She also received a master's degree in anthropology from the University of Texas and taught English to immigrants. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, at Weed-Corley-Fish, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd. Memorial contributions may be made to Town Lake Animal Center, 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St., Austin 78703-4603 or to the SIMS Foundation, P.O. Box 2152, Austin 78768-2152. Lenore's survivors include daughter and son-in-law Jodi and Fred Zipp of Austin; daughter Leslie Hunter Boston of Seattle; son and daughter- in-law John and Jamie Boston of Dripping Springs; grandchildren Amanda Boston, Ryan Boston, Chrissie Boston, Olivia Wellborn, O.G. Wellborn IV and Emily Zipp; great-grandson Elijah Thomas Boston; and former son-in-law Guy Wellborn. She is also survived by her loving ex-husband Col. John Boston, USMCR (ret) and friends Jeannie Haupert, Melissa Segrest and others too numerous to mention here. Lenore enjoyed travel. She loved the adventure of Mexico and the idea of exploring Siberia and Kashmir. She devoted herself to animals and often had a house full of strays she had collected while roaming Central Texas. She loved her land in the country between Manor and Elgin, where she worked tirelessly to build a beautiful home. She was a loving mother and grandmother, equally generous with practical advice and the gift of a magical Christmas. She was sui generis. We will miss her.