1944-2018
A native of Pensacola, Florida, Mike attended Pensacola Technical High School where he played varsity basketball. After high school, Mike enlisted in the military and honorably served his country. He was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the 101st Airborne and flew Hueys and Cobras. He was awarded the “highly regarded and rarely awarded” Broken Wing Award for safely piloting a helicopter damaged in a training exercise. He did a tour in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star as well as other commendation medals. Mike retired from the Army in 1976, but he continued to serve in the Army Reserves and U.S. National Guard through his life.
After the Army, Mike ran a number of businesses and eventually returned with his family to his native Pensacola and worked for the Navy before returning to his true passion of flying. Mike worked for Atlantic Southeast Airlines then Airborne Express, where he was a Captain on 767s.
Mike retired in 2004 to pursue his favorite hobbies of flying, aircraft building, fishing, and hunting. He could always be found sharing a story with his buddies at the airport (where he had a hanger and airplane) or the gun range. Mike was always willing to share his time and eager to help others, especially if it involved building something.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Brenda (née Hall), his son Michael R. Boswell II (Tammy Seale) and five sisters, Janie Bonds (Curry), Connie Boswell (Claire Berger), Mary Bowers (Robert), Betty Boswell, Debbie Cook (Bill), and numerous nephews, nieces, and their families. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lucille (née Sonnier), his father Joseph Boswell, and sister Judy Boswell.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at 10:00 am at Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel -- Bayview Memorial Park, 3351 Scenic Highway 90e in Pensacola, Florida.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Merritt Island, Florida at a later date (to be scheduled).
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in memory of Mike can be made to the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation, MBC-FOUND, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, 1-800-456-3434, ext. 1403, [email protected] or Disabled American Veterans (DAV), 1-877-426-2838,
https://www.dav.org/ways-to-give/.
Bayview Fisher-Pou Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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