Lexie Benette Boswell

November 12, 1931 - September 12, 2020

LAKESIDE, CALIFORNIA

Lexie B. Boswell passed away peacefully on September 12, 2020 at age 88.

Of his many achievements, Lexie said that his greatest accomplishment was “helping Mom

raise 6 children.”

Lexie was preceded in death by his dear wife of 49 years, Jessie Jo (Young) whom he married

on May 26, 1956 after dating for 2 weeks “Love at First Sight”. Lexie’s granddaughter Joye

Boswell sadly passed away before Lexie as well.

Lexie is survived by his children: Jeffrey (Alice) Boswell, Bradley (Jo-Ann) Boswell, Kimberly

(Roger) Bender, Keith Boswell, Shelley (Scott) Gutting and Kyle Boswell as well as his

grandchildren: Jarrod (Doreen) Boswell, Lauren (Quintin) Brown, Zachary Bender, Cecelia

Gutting, Sakura Gutting and great grandchildren: Olivia and August Boswell and Dahlia and

Noah Dixon. Lexie was preceded in death by brother Ike Boswell and is survived by his brother

Thomas (Josie) Boswell, brother Rodney (Jan) Boswell, sister June Zivley and sister-in-law

Helen Boswell (Ike’s wife) as well as many nieces and nephews.

LEXIE: THE EARLY YEARS

Lexie was born in Tanglewood, TX on November 12, 1931 9:30 AM weighing in at 10 lbs and

21 inches and was the oldest child of Grace (Simmons) Boswell and B.R. (Bennette Ransom)

Boswell. Lexie attended a one room school in Tanglewood TX for 3 to 4 years and then

Rockdale School. Lexie graduated from Rockdale High in 1950 and spent 26 weeks at Texas

A&I in Kingsville TX living with grandparents Lydia and Cliff Cavolt (his father’s step dad). Lexie

then started at San Antonio Community (Junior) College for 2 years attaining his AS degree.

The next school that Lexie attended was the Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos for

70 semester hours. Lexie was in the National Guard Reserves for 2 years from 1950 to 1952.

LEXIE: THE NAVAL OFFICER AND GENTLEMAN

In November 6, 1952 he joined the US Navy and retired on January 31, 1974 with 22+ years of

“honorable, faithful and dedicated service” to his country.

During his period of active duty from Seaman Recruit to Lieutenant Commander, Lexie served

on the following ships and stations:

Naval Training Center, Recruit Training Command, San Diego, CA.

U.S. Naval School Command, Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA

Terrier Missile School, Pomona, CA.

U.S. Naval Guided Missile Unit 22-A, Mishawaka, IN

Naval Enlisted Scientific Education Program - Purdue University, Lafayette, IN.

Officer Candidate School, Naval Station, Newport RI.

USS PREBLE (DLG-15) Operations Manager.

USS WEDDERBURN (DD-684)

Deputy Commander, Operational Test Evaluation Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

Naval Air Station, North Island, San Diego CA Staff

Commander River Assault Flotilla ONE (Mekong Delta Viet Nam) 1968

Fleet Combat Direction Systems Training Center, Pacific, San Diego CA.

USS BLUERIDGE (LCC-19). Flagship of the 7th Fleet. Operations Manager.

Fleet Combat Direction Systems Support Activity, San Diego, CA.

Lexie was awarded the following medals during active service in the United States Navy:

Combat Action Ribbon

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device

Bronze Star with Combat “V” (2nd Award)

Navy commendation Medal with Combat “V”

Navy Unit Commendation (2nd Award)

National Defense (2nd Award)

Purple Heart

Good Conduct Award (2nd Award)

Presidential Unit Citation

Vietnam Service Medal

Lexie worked on the cutting edge of the nuclear navy. Admiral Hyman Rickover was the “Father

of the Nuclear Navy”at the time. Some other schools that Lexie attended were as follows:

John Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Silver Springs, MD.

Bumble Bee Project Talos Missile (range 80 miles) in White Sands, NM.

Naval Ordinance Lab, Corona, CA. Sere Training in 1967.

FAWTD (Fleet Anti Warfare Training Center,) Point Loma, San Diego CA surface to air missiles.

The US Navy sent Lexie to Purdue University Engineering School graduating with a Bachelor of

Science Electrical Engineering in Lafayette, IN on May 31, 1959 with close friend Bob Noland in

the first class of the NESEP (Navy Enlisted Scientific Education Program) at Purdue.

OCS (Officer Candidate School) in Maryland as a commissioned Ensign. Ray Riesgo another

close friend graduated from University of Washington NESEP program in 1958.

LEXIE: THE CIVILIAN

1974-1978 Alturdyne Gas Turbines.

1978 Solar Turbines.

1979 Started En Garde Engineering, a gas turbine maintenance company with Marlin Lamb.

1984-1990 General Dynamics.

1990-2008 Lexie was National Sales Manager for Vanguard electrical test equipment for

transformers and circuit breakers for Hai Nguyen in Diamond Bar, CA working primarily in

Mexico which he loved.

LEXIE: COMMUNITY SERVICE

Moved to Lakeside in 1969. Lakeside Little League manager for 3 years.

1969 Board of Lakeside Little League with Bob Jurgensmeier and Keith Jennings building new

fields on Willow Road.

1970: Joined Lakeside Optimist Club going through all chairs and coached their Little League

Team. Was Lt. Gov for Bulls Only Rodeo.

1970: Joined Lakeside VFW Post Chaplain.

1978: Lakeside Fire Board.

1982: Won Lakeside Chili Cook Off. Lakeside Parade Press Party at Sunny Lane with Bill

Balance as Grand Marshall. All the women at the party were aflutter. Miss Lakeside Pageant.

1996-2006: Padre Dam Water Board with Joel Anderson. Close friend on water issues Bob

Cook, General Manager Lakeside Water District.

Lakeside Christian Church. Lakeside Historical Society.

A life well lived…

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Lexie’s honor to: Lakeside Christian Church,

Lakeside VFW or Lakeside Optimist.