Search by Name

Add a Memory

Send Flowers

Make a Donation

Share Obituary

1924 - 2013

BORN

1924

DIED

2013

Herb Boynton Obituary

Boynton, Herb
Loving family man, highly regarded friend, and successful business executive, Herb Boynton, 88, died at his La Jolla residence Monday evening, August 5, 2013.
Mr. Boynton was born on August 20, 1924 in Tacoma, WA. Upon graduation from Lincoln High School, he served
in World War II in the India/Burma/China region. After the war, he returned home to attend the University of Puget Sound and the University of Washington. He worked as a U.S. Customs Inspector and for the Seattle Port Authority before deciding to make a
new life for his family
in California.
Arriving in San Diego in 1953, Mr. Boynton embarked on a career in the Aerospace Industry which continued into
the early 1970s. During these early years, his favorite outdoor activity and sport was skin diving. He was Commissioner of The Delta Divers skin diving club and competed in diving meets with friends for many years, acquiring a large collection of trophies and abalone shells.
Because of a long-held passion for health and nutrition, Mr. Boynton took a significant risk when, in a life-altering career change, he opened Point Loma Health Foods in 1971. Eight years later he formed Nutrition 21, an applied nutritional research company. Nutrition 21 was the first company to introduce
the essential nutrients selenium and chromium into the mainstream market. Through his leadership, the company prospered; it was sold when he retired in 1996 at the age of 72.
Mr. Boynton frequently lectured at symposiums and health expos, especially on the health benefits of lowering sodium intake while increasing potassium intake. To this end, he also wrote many papers and co-authored the book, The Salt Solution.
Blessed with an amazing head for facts, figures, and trivia too, he was a member of both MENSA and IPSE and continued to educate himself his entire life. He read widely on all the sciences and the natural world. He also enjoyed traveling and trivia game get-togethers with his family.
He is survived by
his wife of 64 years, Donna Boynton, his
three daughters, Diana Chubbic, Stephanie Dutton, and Melissa Cunningham, their spouses, eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren,
and his sister, Mrs. Barbara Smith.
A private service is planned for the family; interment is planned in Seattle in late September.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Diego Union-Tribune from Aug. 13 to Aug. 14, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Herb Boynton

14 Entries

John Warner Smith

August 8, 2021

I was a bus boy at the Marine Room in La Jolla, he loved that restaurant and i know you folks live on Vista de La playa, i came by but no one asnwered the door, wanted to say hi to Donna, i know she go along well with my mother Mary, and of course he was in business with my father. He was a kind man, honest man, and a good man.

Jim Hodges

August 30, 2013

Herb touched Our family through skin-diving activities. He was extremely inventive in developing methods to participate in the Astro-divers events. Our families came together at these events around La Jolla Shores, including spearfishing competitions, cioppino feeds and other social gatherings. Herb brought me into the Astro Divers diving club and catapulted my activity into becoming President of the San Diego Council of Diving Clubs 1960. Herb showed a intense interest in conserving the many varieties of abalone along the California shore.
We are very grateful to Herb for his personal support during our years in San Diego.
Our families had the best of times together and will always be warmly remembered. Jim and Donna Hodges

Richard Passwater

August 29, 2013

Herb was so special to Barbara and myself, we owe him so much. Herb was more than exceptional. He was also brilliant beyond words. It was such a pleasure to know him and Donna these many years. Herb changed my life when he introduced me to Allen Skolnick (who passed in April). He also changed my life when he made safe and effective forms of selenium and chromium available to the public. All I can say is "Thank you so much, Herb! I will always miss you.

Joyce Hendler

August 21, 2013

I am so sad to learn of Herb Boynton's passing. He was a remarkable man who lived his values in substantive ways. I met Herb in the seventies, when my late husband, Sheldon Hendler, helped him with the scientific formulation of products for his company, Nutrition 21. We were often invited to the annual party he had for his original shareholders. These were amazing events held at some fabulous locations here in San Diego, but the memorable and touching part for me was Herb's enormous gratitude to those people who had faith in him and supported him in the beginning. Of course it was Herb's vision in spotting emerging nutrients such as selenium and chromium picolinate that moved the company forward. He also had an unerring sense of marketing, and always relied on scientific reports to make his case. Herb was shrewd, creative and generous. I personally have met entrepreneurs at the highest levels of success and tend to be disillusioned by their effects on society. But in Herb, I saw an exemplar of a local capitalism that really worked. I think that was because Herb was dedicated to his products and his people and subsequently financial success followed suit.
Herb, you were a great man, a great friend, and I am sorry the world has lost you.

in the development of nutritional supplements. Herb also was an entrepreneur of a small but extremely creative and successful business. The era of
I met Herb Boynton when my late husband, Sheldon Hendler, helped him with the scientific formulation of some of the products for Nutrion 21. Herb was truly concerned with good health, and bringing novel and beneficial nutritional supplements available to public. In this respect He pioneered the general use of selenium and chromium piccolinate. Our relationship lasted until his recent death and it was only a year and a half ago that we sought business advice from him. He remained astute. I always respected the way in which Herb developed his company, Nutrition 21, and was touched by the respect and rewards he gave to his initial shareholders. He was always thankful that they had backed his original ideas and to the end of the company treated them with greatest respect. He also was so proud that he had increased the value of their original investment so greatly. I was so touched by this personal aspect in his relationship with people and money. . I had never seen this before or since, and think of it as capitalism at its best.

Gail Kraljevic

August 19, 2013

In 1996 I was hired by the company that purchased Nutrition 21. Over the years I got to speak to Herb many times. He was such a smart and nice man. He will surely be missed.

August 18, 2013

Thank YOU for your service and for keeping our Country free. Wish we had more individuals who loved and cared enough for our Country to serve to keep our FREEDOM!!!

August 16, 2013

Herb was an awesome man. I am truly blessed to have known him. I had the privilege of working for him for almost 10 years. He ran it as if we were all family and we all still keep in touch. It was a truly unique work environment and he had everything to do with that. God Bless! Ours prayers are with you! Deb DiSpaltro

Hayley Meagan

August 14, 2013

Thank you Grandpa, for instilling in me a passion for health & nutrition, an entrepreneurial spirit & a generous heart. And thank you for continually supporting & believing in me and always encouraging me to "try hard".
Love, Hayley

George Forsyth

August 14, 2013

We want to say how sorry we are to hear of your loss. Herb obviously was a great family man, husband, and father. I am sure he is as proud of his family as they are of his life and contributions to so many. His life is one to celebrate, as he is missed.

August 13, 2013

Wanted to say I am very sorry for your loss. I have know Herb as a good friend to my father Jerome F. Smith. When I was working at the Marine Room as a buss boy, in La Jolla as a kid he would treat me with more respect than my own father. We spoke at my fathers funeral and he gave me a gold coin with my fathers picture on it and he told me he thought I should have this. I have the coin and it will remain in my family as one of the dreams that my father shared. Herb went out of his way to show his kindness and for this, he will remain in my memory forever as a wise man in business and even more successful in life. I know my mother Mary Smith always spoke highly of Donna.
My thoughts are with your family in this difficult time.

John Warner Smith

Darren McClelland

August 13, 2013

I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet Mr. Boynton. He seemed like a remarkable man. I know he was very much loved by his family.

David Knox

August 13, 2013

I knew Mr. Boynton for more than 30 years as one of our most welcomed patrons at The Marine Room restaurant in La Jolla. He was a frequent guest for business lunches through the 80's and until his retirement in '96. He continued his patronage for dinner as recently as this year. He always had a kind word and amicable presence whether conducting business or simply entertaining friends. I didn't realize until his passing that we shared a birthday, August 20th and home town, Seattle (Tacoma). He will be missed and always fondly remembered.

Russ & Peggy Stern

August 13, 2013

Dear Boynton Family,
Our heart-felt sympathies and condolences go out to you at this difficult time.
Thank you, Herb, for all your invaluable health related research and Nutrition 21 products - I miss our luncheons with together with fellow health assessment researcher, Charlie Thomas of Pantox/Helicon Foundation acclaim! No doubt, you are playing 4 dimensional chess with your best buddy, Dr. Thomas, up there in Heaven!!
God bless your soul and alternative medicine legacy, Herb,
Russ and Peggy Stern

Stephanie Dutton

August 13, 2013

Thanks for starting me on the path to health and nutritional research which I will continue on. I will miss you.
Your loving daughter,
Stephanie

Showing 1 - 14 of 14 results