James Griffin Boswell II passed away April 3, 2009, at his home in Indian Wells, Calif. He was born March 10, 1923, in Greensboro, Ga., the son of William Whittier Boswell Sr. and Kate Hail Boswell.
J.G., as he was commonly called, graduated from the Thacher School in Ojai, Calif., in 1941 and received his B.S. in economics from Stanford University in 1946. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the South Pacific. It was at Stanford where he met his first wife, Rosalind Murray. They were married in Pasadena in 1948 and started their home in Litchfield Park, Ariz. They moved to Pasadena, Calif., in 1952 where they raised their three children. In 1984, they moved to Sun Valley, Idaho. Rosalind passed away on Aug. 10, 2000.
J.G. was highly instrumental in the growth of the J. G. Boswell Co., which was started by his father, Bill, and Bill's brothers, Col. J. G. Boswell and Col. Walter Boswell. J.G.'s career with the Boswell Co. began in 1948 and continued until his passing. He served as chairman, president and CEO from 1952 until his retirement in 1984. After retirement, he continued to serve on the Boswell Co. board of directors until his passing. He also served on the boards of Safeway, General Electric, Security Pacific Bank, Bank of America and Up With People. He was a trustee of The California Nature Conservancy, Cal Tech, Thacher School, the James G. Boswell Foundation of California, and the Boswell Family Foundation of Idaho.
Through his leadership, the J. G. Boswell Co. continues to enjoy a reputation for success and excellence in agricultural operations in California and New South Wales, Australia, as well as in its successful real estate development projects in Arizona, Colorado and California.
J.G. was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Rosalind Murray Boswell; a brother, William Whittier Boswell Jr.; and two sisters, Katherine Lavender and Josephine (Jody) Larsen.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Wallace Boswell; daughters, Jody Hall of Incline Village, Nev., and Lorraine Wilcox of Sun Valley, Idaho, and his son, James Walter Boswell of La Canada Flintridge, Calif.; and grandchildren, Elizabeth Boswell, Cameron Boswell, Katherine Boswell, Daniel Boswell and Gifford Wilcox.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 22, at the Corcoran High School Memorial Stadium in Corcoran, Calif. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Wood River Valley, Box 4320, Ketchum, ID 83340, or St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center, Box 100, Ketchum, ID 83340.
