Mr. Bobby Ray Boswell

August 30, 1935 - November 10, 2020

Bobby Ray Boswell, born in Elberton GA, son of the late E.J. and Willine Boswell, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, at the Piedmont Regional Medical Center in Athens, GA, after suffering from long-term illnesses. Bobby is survived by his wife of 65 years and life-long love, Betty Jo Mayo Boswell, as well as a brother and sister, Peggy Cartledge and Charles Boswell, both of Elberton. Bob and Betty have three adult children, all married, ten grandchildren with their five spouses, and nine great-grandchildren: Bob Boswell, Jr. and wife, Karen, of Lilburn, GA, John Boswell and wife, Susan, of Jefferson, GA, and Renee Boswell Brown and husband, Larry, of Franklin, TN. Grandchildren include Josh Boswell and wife, Sara, of Blue Springs, MO, Jason Boswell of Atlanta, Jonathan Boswell and Joseph Boswell both of Jefferson, Emma Boswell of Athens, Jordan Boswell and wife, Hannah, of Dahlonega, Tom “Buck” Brown and wife, Faith, of Washington, DC, Carrie (Brown) Murphy and husband, Myles, of Nashville TN, Bobby Boswell Brown and wife, Brianna, of Taichung, Taiwan, and Gracie Brown of Franklin, TN. Great-grandchildren are Cameron Boswell of Clayton, NC, Bella and Parker Ray Boswell of Blue Springs, MO, Killian, Titus, Leo, and Layla Jo Brown, all of Taichung, Taiwan, and Harper and Berdie Boswell, both of Dahlonega. While the dates of Bobby’s life, and the family he and Betty raised and led, are detailed above, no brief biography can capture the depth and breadth of Bobby’s deep influence on his family, his church, and the hundreds of friends and coworkers that he knew and impacted during a lifetime dedicated to service. Bobby’s broad-ranging service included his faith, his family, his nation, and his community: Bobby was a retired U.S. Army veteran of extensive and varied military service throughout the Cold War, a decades-long church leader at Peniel Pentecostal Holiness Church, and retired most recently as a leader within Franklin County’s Tax Assessor’s office. While those familiar with Bobby may be unaware due to his modest, unassuming nature, his service includes sensitive classified positions during the Cold War within the National Security community, and service in support of NASA’s earliest missions and astronauts (including personal relationships with John Glenn, Alan Shepard, and Buzz Aldrin, among others); an accomplished recent NASA astronaut in the Space Shuttle era contacted him with personal appreciation for his key accomplishments to NASA and its early missions. While these examples are notable, a complete listing of Bobby’s experiences, service locations, and agencies is not possible within the limited space and format of an obituary. The family is creating a website, bobbyrayboswell.family, to memorialize and provide more details on the extensive career, family, and life of this extraordinary man. Your submissions of photos, memories, and stories to this website are both invited and encouraged; the email to supply comments or input to the family for this website is [email protected] With heartfelt consideration of the health and well being of loved ones during these uncertain times, a private family graveside service for Bobby will be held in the Peniel Pentecostal Holiness Church Cemetery in Royston. Bobby will lie in state at Pruitt Funeral Home on Thursday, November 12, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. for anyone who would like to pay their respects or sign the register book. Flowers are optional; memorials may be made to the Peniel Pentecostal Holiness Church Cemetery Fund at P. O. Box 317 Franklin Springs, GA 30639. Pruitt Funeral Home in Royston, GA is in charge of arrangements.