John Heck Boushall Jr.

BOUSHALL, John Heck Jr., passed away June 15, 2006, after a valiant fight with cancer. John was devoted to his family, friends and community, and he served all with integrity and accomplishment. Beloved and respected by all who knew him, he will be greatly missed. A lifelong native of Tampa, born July 19, 1932, John attended Gorrie Elementary School, Woodrow Wilson Middle School and H.B. Plant High School. While completing a Bachelor of Science degree in business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he was a member of the Order of Gimgoul and served as president of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the Inter-fraternity Council. Following his college graduation, John was commissioned first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and served as a navigator in the Strategic Air Command. His love of flying continued years later when he obtained his pilot's license, often using it for regional business trips. John's outstanding leadership and dedication, and a strong work ethic, led to personal and professional success. After his discharge from the Air Force, he joined the Thomas E. Gray Insurance Agency in Tampa and later founded his own insurance agency, Boushall ' Associates. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his remarkable career in the insurance industry. He attained the charter life underwriter and certified financial planner designations and was a life member of the Million Dollar Round Table as well as being a member of Top of the Table. He was a member of Tampa Life Underwriters Association and past president of Tampa Chapter of Chartered Life Underwriters. In addition to his career, John was devoted to his church and community. A longtime member of Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, over the years he served as deacon, elder, clerk of the session and a Sunday school teacher. He served on the boards of and was elected president of the Exchange Club of Tampa, the President's Round Table, and the Friends of Research in Psychiatry at the University of South Florida. He served on the boards of hospice and The Salvation Army, and was a founding member of the Community Foundation of Tampa. He was a member of and a governor for the Tampa Yacht and Country Club, and a member and past board member of the University Club. He was a past president of Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club and a member of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, for which he was elected captain and king. His contribution to community later included the community in North Carolina, where he resided part of the year. He was a member of and in 2005 was elected president of the Country Club of Sapphire Valley in Cashiers, N.C. The same zeal John applied to business and community was applied to his personal interests and passions. Early on John developed a love for sailing, purchasing his first sailboat while in high school. After marrying, he acquired a Fireball named Florentina for his wife, followed by a Morgan 24 named Tina (reduced from Florentina because of the smaller transom size). He loved sailing Tina in Tampa Bay, particularly enjoying the competition of local regattas using his sharp navigational skills to win many trophies. When in need of a handy crew, he often recruited his oldest son John for sailing duties. This ultimately led to a shared passion between the two for the sport. The game of golf became another grand passion, one he particularly shared with his other son, Forrest. John always enjoyed playing rounds with Forrest as well as his friends, relishing the challenges of the game. Some of his last outings while fighting cancer were on a golf cart following friends' games. More than anything else, the greatest passion for John was no doubt his wife of 46 years, Florence Getzen. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy Dishman Boushall and Lt. Col. John H. Boushall Sr.; and his sister, Nell B. Steed. He is survived by Florence and his two sons, John H. Boushall III (Elinor) and Forrest J. Boushall; his grandchildren, Kathryn Dolly Boushall, Nell Curry Boushall, Lindsay Ann Boushall and John Winton Boushall; his nieces, Pam McBride, Robin Hays and Nell Steed; and nephew Richard Steed. A memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, June 19, at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, 3501 W. San Jose St., Tampa. The family will receive friends in the Fellowship Hall at the church following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to LifePath Hospice, 3010 W. Azeele St., Tampa, FL 33609.