Ted Boswell, Jr., 93, passed away on Thursday June 9, 2016. Funeral services will be 10:00a.m., Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home Chapel of Faith, 5701 Hwy 277 South. Burial will follow in the Garden of Honor section of Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be Monday evening from 6:00p.m. to 8:00p.m. at the funeral home. Mr. Boswell was born on RR2 in Ninnekah, OK, September 5, 1922 to Fred (Ted) Boswell and Ruby D. Boswell. He married Gloria Jeanne Newberry of Ft. Worth on August 30, 1943 in Marion, Crittenden County, Arkansas. He attended Oklahoma High Schools in Enid, Bartlesville, and Chickasha and graduated from El Reno. He attended El Reno Jr. College and volunteered for Army Aviation Cadet Training following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mr. Boswell retired from retail management for Sears, Roebuck and Company. He served stores in Muskogee, Wichita Falls, Carlsbad, and Lubbock. As a Sears sales promotion and customer relations manager, he worked in the southwest territory for ten years. He moved from Dallas to Abilene in 1986. Ted was a member of the First Christian Church in Muskogee, OK and had filled the duties of deacon, elder, and Sunday school teacher. He was a 32nd degree Mason with the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in McAlester, OK, Oriental Lodge No. 430 AF&AM and Order of Eastern Star Chapter 14 in Muskogee. Mr. Boswell was in the first Bombardier Class (43-7), to graduate from the Army Air Field in Childress, TX. He served with the 306th Bomb Gp. (B-17s), 8th Army Air Force, operating from Thurleigh, U.K. His combat tour started in October 1943. He was promoted to lead crew and Sqd. Bombardier duty and after completion of 30 combat missions, he returned home in August 1944. After release from WWII and a wartime commission, he was given a commission as a Captain, Air Corps, Army of the United States. The Army Air Corps became U.S. Air Force Units in 1947. Mr. Boswell was recalled to active duty with the 453rd Bomb Sqd., 323rd Bomb Gp., Con AC, Tinker Air Force Base by the direction of the President for the Korean War Period. He was reassigned to the Strategic Air Command for Cold War training and duty. He completed Celestial Navigation and Radar Schools at Mather Air Force Base, Class 52 E-B. He served overseas with the 38th Strat. Recon. Sqd., 55th Strat. Recon. Wing. After completion of the Korean Recall, he returned to Sears retail stores management and several Air Force Reserve assignments. He served 40 years active and reserve duty and retired as Lt. Col. in the United States Air Force. He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Unit Citations- Germany, January 11, 1944 and Germany, February 22, 1944, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign medal with two Bronze stars, WWII Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Ribbon, Air Force Longevity and Service Award Ribbon, And Armed Forces Reserve Medal. On August 27, 1997 at the Taylor County Court House, he received the "Jubilee of Liberty" Medal bestowed in gratitude by the people of Normandy, France for his service during the D-Day Invasion June 6, 1944. He also received a Certificate of Recognition for D-Day service from the Texas House of Representatives in Austin, TX. Mr. Boswell is survived by his wife, Gloria Jeanne Boswell of Abilene; son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Kiddy Boswell of Wichita Falls, TX; daughter and son-in-law, Debbie and Brian Thomas of Abilene, TX; granddaughters, Julie Diamond of Iowa Park, TX, Amy Lydon and husband, Jason of San Antonio, TX, and Lori Sims of Abilene; three great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters. Ted was loved by all who knew him. You may view and sign the guestbook at www.elliott-hamil.com

Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home