Joseph W. Boston

An adventurer died Saturday. Joseph W. Boston born September 22, 1935 died peacefully at home on January 20, 2018. Born in and infused with the spirit of New Orleans, LA, his life took him to Baton Rouge to attend LSU; Texas for military service; back to New Orleans for his B.A. at University of New Orleans and to be Executive Director at Congregation Gates of Prayer; Memphis, TN to be Executive Director of Temple Israel and University of Memphis for his M.A.; Overland Park, KS to be Executive Director at Congregation B'nai Jehudah and then to his favorite home Sarasota, FL where he and his wife Susan have lived since their retirement. The important things in his life were people and ideas. His wife Susan G. Boston, his daughter Leigh Dorman and his granddaughter Grace Dorman were the jewels in his crown. However, he cared for all those he knew and he enjoyed making their lives better-though they may not have thought so at the time. His degrees were in Philosophy as expected with someone who loved to debate ideas and to contemplate the unanswerable questions. That love continued through his entire life. He faced life as an adventure to be met head-on whether at work or play. He knew meeting life head-on required tact which he had in abundance. He enjoyed physical activity like racquetball, running and bicycling. He enjoyed learning new things like horseback riding, guitar playing, motorcycle riding, skiing and much more. Neither injury (sometimes the things he met head-on did not yield) nor debility affected his outlook. He never stopped giving his all even when there was little to be gained. He never stopped caring about those around him before he would care about himself. He never stopped learning and trying new things. He was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Lee Boston, his twin sister Flora Singerman Bordelon and his beloved step-son Hal Schultz. He is survived by his wife Susan, his daughter Leigh Dorman (Jim), his granddaughter Grace Dorman, his brother Barry Boston (Sally), his nieces and nephews Jane Whitley (Steve), Alan Singerman, Steven Singerman, Beth Landers (Mark) and Bren Padawer (Jeremy), David Glassman (Carrie), Joel Cohen and Ted Glassman (Lauren), his brother-in-law Merlin Bordelon, his sisters-in-law Jane Cohen (Paul) and Nancy Glassman (Jim) and all those in the family tree he researched and recorded. He will be remembered and missed by them and by all those many friends who came under his enchanting spell. He will have a graveside service at National Cemetery in Sarasota, FL on Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 10:30 am. He requested donations and memorials be directed to the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in Sarasota, FL or the charity of the donor's choice.

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Joseph W. Boston

January 20, 2018