Dale Bosworth Sr.

SOUTHFIELD -- Dale Cozzens Bosworth Sr., 84, of Norfolk Road died Monday evening at home.

Born in Athens, Tenn., on Oct. 11, 1921, son of Reed Stephens and Ethel Cozzens Bosworth, he attended Castle Heights Military Academy.

An Army Air Corps veteran of World War II, he enlisted in 1942. He was a machine gunner in northern and southern France, Rhineland and Normandy. He received the EAMET ribbon with four bronze stars and several other medals. He was discharged with the rank of technical sergeant in 1945.

Mr. Bosworth founded Berkshire Springs Inc., a spring water bottling company, in 1970 at his home in Southfield. Prior to this, he had started several small businesses on Long Island, N.Y., including a potato chip company and a dry cleaning business. He also worked as a salesman for New York Life Insurance Co. He moved to Canaan, Conn., in 1960 and became a manufacturer's representative for several machine shops, obtaining orders from GE and IBM plants throughout the Northeast. After high school, he worked as a machinist at Pratt & Whitney Manufacturing Co. in Hartford, Conn.

He was a member of the international Bottle Water Association and the Northeast Bottled Water Association. He enjoyed spending time outdoors, working in his vegetable garden, cutting wood, and spending time on his tractor. He also enjoyed working in his wood shop. He loved animals.

His wife, the former Loretta Marino, whom he married July 4, 1946, in Port Washington, N.Y., died May 4, 1993.

He leaves two daughters, Pamela Bosworth of New Marlborough and Janis Graham-Jones of Norfolk, Conn.; three sons, Jay Bosworth of Oxford, England, Dale Bosworth Jr. of Southfield and Douglas Bosworth of New Marlborough, and eight grandchildren.

FUNERAL NOTICE -- The family of Dale C. Bosworth Sr. will receive friends Friday, Dec. 2, 2005, from 5 to 7 at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, Jan. 7, 2006, at 11 at the United Church of New Marlborough on Norfolk Road, Southfield. He leaves his eight grandchildren, Pierce and Blythe Graham-Jones, and Chandra, Jordan, Alison, Brandon, Ryan and Steven Bosworth. He also leaves his good friend, Tara White, of Southfield; three daughters-in-law, Victoria, Melissa and Michele, and his son-in-law, Felix Graham-Jones. His brother, Robert Winstead Bosworth, died Aug. 18, 1992. On lieu of flowers, donations may be made to HospiceCare in the Berkshires, the New Marlborough First Responders or to an animal charity of choice through the funeral home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com.