Edwin C. Boswell Jr. was born on 11. Oct. 1909 at Indiana. He was the son of
Edwin Chauncey Boswell Sr. and
Nellie Lowe. Edwin C. Boswell Jr. married
Rebabelle McMahan on 17. Sep. 1932.
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
EDWIN C. BOSWELL '31
Inducted: 1996
Ed Boswell was an Indianapolis native who, on receiving a Rector Scholarship, enrolled at DePauw in 1927. A six letter man, he played the guard position on the basketball team and the number two spot on the golf team. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta and active in ROTC, serving as captain of the Corps and a member of Scabbard and Blade. He served on the Mirage yearbook, the Student Council, and was honored by selection to Blue Key. He graduated from DePauw in 1931 with majors in history and political science. Boswell has been a member of DePauw's Board of Trustees since 1956 and, soon thereafter, became chairman of the Trustee Committee on Athletics. He was instrumental in establishing the Old Gold Scholarship, which rewards outstanding and deserving scholar-athletes. For many years Ed Boswell was president of McMahan-O'Connor Construction Company, one of the largest highway builders in the Midwest. Because of his love for athletics and DePauw, his company literally changed the landscape of the campus. Over a 10-year period, he marshalled the resources of his company in developing the current tennis facilities, two intramural fields, a varsity practice field and the Boswell Soccer Field. He chaired the drive for the construction of Lilly Physical Education and Recreation Center, personally providing significant gifts for the project. He is the 1966 recipient of the Old Gold Goblet and past president of the Rector Scholar Alumni Association. Edwin C. Boswell Jr. died on 8. Feb. 1998 his last known address was at Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana, according to the SSDI.
Road Builder Ed Boswell dead at 88
Rochester lost one of its most influential figures at 4 p.m. Sunday when Edwin C. BOSWELL, 719 Jefferson St., died at home at the age of 88.
In addition to leading McMahan-O'Connor Construction Co. to prominence among Midwestern road builders, Boswell was a leader of the Methodist Church and the Republican Party, a longtime member of the DePauw University Board of Trustees and a local philanthropist who quietly contributed to the success of many community projects.
During his hore than six decades with McMahan Construction Co., McMahan-O'Connor Construction Co. and Rock Industries, Boswell's crews were active in Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky and Illinois. They built U.S. 31 between Kokomo and U.S. 6, U.S. 465 around eastern Indianapolis and parts of Interstate 70. They also did extensive work on Indianapolis International Airport, Grissom Air Force Base, the Louisville, Ky., airport and the Fulton County Airport. They built Rochester High School's Barnhart Field and the nearby sledding hill. At one time or another, his machinery laid down pavement on virtually all Rochester streets.
He was a leader of the Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana and of Indiana Constructors, Ind. and a member of the Indiana Society of Chicago.
During the 1950s he was financial chairman of Indiana's 2nd Congressional District.
He was active in Grace United Methodist Church as a trustee and finance committee chairman. He also served on the statewide Bishop's Commitee.
Born in Indianapolis to Edwin C. and Nellie LOWE BOSWELL on Oct. 11, 1909, he married Rebabelle McMAHAN on Sept. 17, 1932. She died Sept. 27, 1972. He lived in Rochester most of his adult life.
After graduating from Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis, he entered DePauw as a Rector Scholar. He earned six athletic letters as a basketball guard and a golfer. He was captain of the ROTC unit, and member of the student council before graduating with majors in history and political science in 1931.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1942-45, rising to the rank of Lt. Col. and supervising Buckley Field, Colo.
Boswell was named to the DePauw Board of Trustees in 1956 and soon became chairman of the Trustee Committee on Athletics. He remained closely allied with DePauw for the rest of his life. He is credited with changing the campus landscape, largely by marshaling the resources of his companies. His DePauw projects included developing tennis facilities, two intramural fields, a varsity practice field and the Boswell Soccer Field. He chaired the drive for the construction of Lilly Physical Education and Recreation Center. He was instrumental in establishing the Old Gold Scholarshp for scholar-athletes. A recipient of DePauw's Old Gold Goblet award, he was inducted into the DePauw Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.
He was a member of Rochester Lodge No. 79 F&AM; Mizpah Temple of Fort Wayne; Scottish Rite of Indianapolis; Rochester Elks Lodge 2120; American Legion Post 36; Tippecanot Lake Country Club, Leesburg Bellaire Country Club, Clearwater, Fla; The Wabash Country Club; and Rock Hollow golf course, Peru.
Surviving are two daughters, Lalla and her husband James HEYDE, and Rebecca and her husband Terry SMITH, both of Rochester; one sister, Mrs. Carl GERDTS, Indianapolis; seven grandchildren, Edwin [HEYDE], David [HEYDE] and Robert HEYDE, Todd [SMITH], Terry [SMITH], Chris [SMITH] and Julie (Carroll) SMITH, and 15 great-grandchildren.
His parents and one brother, William A. BOSWELL, Indianapolis, preceded him in death.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Foster and Good Funeral Home, Rochester. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday and for an hour before services.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Grace United Methodist Church.