Delbert Oren Boswell, 87, of Yates Center, Kansas, passed away late Saturday, February 23, 2019, at Yates Center Health Care.

Delbert was born on March 20, 1931, at Locust Grove, Oklahoma, one of nine children of Albert Lee and Laura Marie (Kern) Boswell.  He grew up in Locust Grove, and attended school there until leaving to join the military service.

On July 31, 1950, he was married to Jean Marie Williams at Council Bluffs, Iowa.  They began their family as they moved to his various military duty stations around the US and on Guam – though Jean waited Stateside while he served in Greenland, and a few other short term stations around the world.  Delbert served as an aircraft mechanic for the US Air Force until his retirement as a Tech Sergeant in 1968.

The family then settled in Yates Center, choosing it because it was midway between the home towns of their daughters' grandmothers.  Delbert worked as a skilled mechanic at Dyer Chevrolet until that dealership closed, then continued as a mechanic in the local Ford garage until his second retirement.

Delbert always kept a large vegetable garden with lots of tomatoes.  He enjoyed keeping donkeys and watching his woodpeckers.  Most of all, he loved keeping up with all of his grandkids and great-grandkids.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Bill and Edgar Boswell, and by four sisters, Gertie Sunday, Maggie Backward, Geraldine Worth and Nellie Hollis.

He is survived by wife of 68 years, Jean Marie Boswell, of the home; his daughters, Debra Hoag and Joseph, Judy Shepard and Calvin, and Becky Boice and Randy Hegwald, all of Yates Center; nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Blanche Compton of Tulsa, and Fern Weaver of Locust Grove;  and many other relatives and good friends.

Graveside funeral services with military honors by the US Air Force honor guard will be at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, February 26, 2019, at Yates Center Cemetery.

There will be no formal visitation, but Mr. Boswell will lie in state at the Funeral Home and friends may pay their respects from 3:00 to 7:00 PM on Monday, February 25.

Memorial contributions to "American Legion, Woodson Post 13" or "ACARF" (Allen County Animal Rescue) may be sent in care of Campbell Funeral Home, PO Box 188, Yates Center KS 66783.