Edward T. Boywid Sr.

1933 - 2020

Edward T. Boywid, Sr.

Memphis - Edward T. Boywid, Sr., of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, due to complications resulting from the coronavirus. He was 86 years old. He is survived by his wife of 64 years Patricia Boywid. He is also survived by his son Edward, Jr., wife Deborah, granddaughter Tracey, husband Ben Lytle; his daughter Elizabeth Long, husband Bob, grandson Matthew, wife Jessica, great-grandson Aidan, great-granddaughter Hailey; granddaughter Liz, husband John Kreitzman, greatgrandson Grey; and his son William, Sr., wife Sarah, grandson William, wife Elizabeth, great-granddaughters Bambi and Dauphine; grandson Christopher, wife Laura, great grandsons Odin and Dexter; and granddaughter Katie, husband Rick Branson. Edward was born on September 19, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois.

After moving toMemphis, Tennessee, he attended Christian Brothers College and the University of Tennessee where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1954 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1956. After graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Law, he married Patricia and shortly thereafter entered the U.S. Navy to fulfill obligated service. Highlights of his Navy career include: his assignment to Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines, where he served as the first Director of the Law Center, with a mission to provide trial services from Taiwan to Perth, Australia; court-martial trial duty at Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia, where he was involved in over 700 trials; serving on the staff at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island as an instructor and department head; special duty aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Forrestal, as part of the team investigating the 1967 explosions that killed 132 crew members in the Tonkin Gulf; special duty as attorney for Vice Admiral James Stockdale upon his release from captivity as a POW in Hanoi; serving as Chief of Appellate Defense in the Court of Military Appeals in Washington D.C.; a tour of duty in the office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon as primary action officer for both President Ford and Carter's programs to correct service records, where warranted, of personnel unjustly affected by service in Vietnam; a tour of duty in Hawaii as the Fleet Judge Advocate to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor; a short tour as Commanding Officer of the Naval Legal Service Office and Staff Judge Advocate for the Chief of Naval Education and Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.

For his service in the Navy, Edward was awarded many decorations including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Legion of Merit with Gold Star for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service. After 29 years as a Navy JAG involving 14 moves, three children, one grandchild, and reaching the rank of Captain, he and Patricia retired in Pensacola, Florida, where he spent another 20 years in private law practice. While in Pensacola, Edward served on the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra Board for several years and later served as its President in 1986- 1987. He was also a member of the Cantonment Rotary Club and served in a variety of capacities. He was President in 1995-1996, during which time he also served as the President of the Board of the Combined Rotary Clubs of Greater Pensacola. In 1997, his Club presented him with its Service Above Self award. In 1998, he became the Executive Director of his Club's Foundation to address a wide variety of needs, but mainly on the establishment of endowed college scholarships for needy local area students in a fund matching program with the Pensacola State College Foundation.

Throughout his life, Edward exemplified true "Volunteer" spirit. He selflessly served his nation without question wherever it sent him for 29 years, and continued serving his community in retirement through his private legal practice and his participation in Rotary. His greatest achievements; however, were as devoted husband to his wife Patricia, as a father, mentor and friend to his three children and as beloved "Pop Pop" to his six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He will be sorely missed.

A private burial and service will be held on August 12, 2020 at West Tennessee

Veterans Cemetery. Due to the pandemic, a memorial service at Saint Ann Catholic Church and a

Celebration of Life at Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens are planned for spring of 2021, with a date to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Alzheimer's Association (800-272-3900).

Link: https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate.