Eric Donald Boshart

Oct. 24, 1950 - Jan. 7, 2009

BIG TIMBER - On Jan. 13, family and friends gathered together at St. Joseph's Church in Big Timber to celebrate the life of Eric Boshart, a man whose love, integrity and laughter touched many over the past 58 years. Eric was a guy who grew up on the plains of Nebraska and never forgot his roots. He loved the wide open spaces, golf, duck hunting and Nebraska football (except for the Callahan years). A 1969 graduate of Kearney, Neb., High School, he maintained lifelong friendships with several of his former classmates and was looking forward to his 40th high school reunion this summer.

Although he was born and raised in Kearney, Eric considered the Boshart Ranch north of O'Neill, Neb., his true home. Every chance he had he headed to the ranch to fish in Ed's pond, shoot rabbits or just explore the old buildings. Eric's ashes will be buried in O'Neill where his beloved mother, Rita, also rests.

College was a great time for Eric; he attended Kearney State College for two years where he met his future wife, Kathryn. The couple then moved to Omaha where he completed his BS degree in Accounting and Real Estate at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and played on the golf team. Upon graduation he entered the workplace as the MIS Director for Carpenter Paper Company, and faced the even bigger challenge of fatherhood when his first son, Aaron, was born. He welcomed his second little Husker fan, Nathan, five years later. After 20 years in Omaha, Eric accepted a transfer to Denver and the family moved to Golden, Colo.

Five years later, with one son in college and the other entering high school, Eric and Kathy decided to escape the mid-life blahs and the corporate world and move to Deer Lodge. There, they took over publication of the local newspaper, the Silver State Post, as well as the Circle Banner in Circle. For 12 years they met weekly and daily deadlines with Eric acting as general manager and ad man and Kathryn serving as editor. They shared a small office and many laughs with their staff trying to avoid typos and outrageous headlines.

Eric spent the last four years in Big Timber in partial retirement, allowing his sons to support him. He spent his mornings doing bookkeeping for the family business, the Big T IGA, and hovering over the boys directing their work. His boys were his life. Afternoons were filled with his grandchildren, his father and his dog Buster. They would hop in the old red Jeep truck for trips to the river, the mountains and the transfer station.

Eric's life was a testament to his beliefs. As a young man he earned the rank of Eagle Scout, one of his proudest achievements. He raised his sons to be honest and hard-working men and was teaching his grandchildren the same. His faith was deep and his spirituality private, always seeing the good in others. There was never a kid or a dog he didn't like.

Eric's death has left a void in his family, but he also left with them the tools to carry on in his absence. Celebrating his life are his wife, Kathryn; his son, Aaron and wife Jennifer and grandchildren Dennis Eric and Alyssa Kathryn; son, Nathan, and his fiancée Cassie; his dear father, Donald; and Buster.