Lawrence Leroy Boshell                                                                                                                                                                                      September 25, 1945- August 13, 2023

Born to Vernon Jefferson Boshell and Joyce Rose Kathleen Cobb on September 25th, 1945, Lawrence Leroy Boshell was born in a quaint little town near the southeast coast of the United Kingdom in Bungay, England. He was born a preemie at home and as story is told, his grandfather, Arthur Cobb, sat with him all night near the fireplace to keep him warm. He started as a fighter and ended that way too.

His mom would later make the heart-wrenching decision to bring her two-year-old across the world to the US. They made their voyage here on a ship that took them to the east coast where they would find their way to Arkansas to be near their father's family. Life was hard after the war and even more so for a foreigner and her baby. She did what needed to be done for her family, but they survived and were later joined by his sisters Juanita and Joanne and then later added two brothers, David and Michael. As fate would have it, Dallas Texas was eventually on their radar and is where they picked up a bonus sister, my Aunt Judy Ann Burkett, aka Auntie Doodoo. As Paul Harvey would say, "And this is the rest of the story".

Known only to his immediate family as Lawrence, he would later become Larry to his friends and outside family members. He joined the Air Force in 1963, completing his service in 1965. He met the love of his life, Judith Carolyn Lacey in 1968 and along with her daughter Lisa, they became a family of three that next year in 1969. Starting in 1971 they welcomed daughter's Kimberly, Holly and finally the cherry on top, Jennifer (can you tell who's writing this)

Surrounded by females most of his life, he would always tell people that he should have bought stock in the feminine products companies because he would have been a wealthy man. He knew how to pick out tampons and pads way before it became common practice for men today!

Like I've said before, we weren't the perfect family. Lots of bumps, bruises, scrapes and even broken bones along the way, but we got there. We're a hard bunch to like, let alone love, but because we had Dad is why we can love. Love can be measured in many ways. It's easy to say you love, but to show your love in every fiber of your being is truly remarkable. That was Dad's superpower. He just loved. He didn't have to love our mom and Lisa too, but he did. He loved Lisa as if she was his. There was never a question about who she was, and everyone knew it. If you asked Larry Boshell how many children he had, he never stuttered over the answer. Four daughters. Four daughters that he adored, and they adored him back.

He is the mold in which I think all young men should be, to a certain extent. He didn't have a good role model growing up, but that didn't stop him from doing what was right and good in this world. He became a faithful and honorable husband. He was an out of this world Dad. And omg his most cherished title, The Papa. He was blessed to have two of the most wonderful, beautiful inside and out, granddaughters. Alexandra (Allie) and Erin (Erwin). He loved them so much. He cried every time he talked about them. He was so proud to be their Papa.

He is preceded in death by his father Vernon, his mother Joyce, and his stepdad (which he never referred to him as such and he called Pops), Charles Pankau. His brother David John Boshell and nephew Damon John Boshell. His wife Judith of 49 years and his ever so faithful hounds Tuffy, Shelby, Happy and Yogi. He is survived by his sisters Juanita Dyson and Joanne Stevens of Anna, Texas. His brother Michael Pankau of Huntsville, Texas. His daughter's Lisa Merito of Dallas, TX, Kimberly Knabe, and husband Allen of Callisburg, Texas. Holly Boshell of Arthur City, Texas and Jennifer Dement and husband Bryan of Arthur City, Texas. Granddaughters Alexandra Dement of McKinney, Texas and Erin Dement of Pittsburg, Texas and countless aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins here in the United States and the UK.

To have known daddy; aka, Larry, grandpa, papa, Bobo, George, encyclopedia Brown, was to know love. If you can leave one lasting impression in this, oftentimes, crappy world. I think love is one thing you should strive to leave behind.  Without even knowing it, that's what he has left us. Never, ever did we ever feel a lack of love because of him. We love you Daddy!

A celebration of life visitation will be held 6 to 8 pm, Friday, August 25, at Waldo Funeral Home in Sherman.

Online condolences may be made at www.waldofuneralhome.com.