James Boatright

James Boatright was born August 17, 1921, at Kibler, AR, to Eugene Carl and Ethel Lee (Crawford) Boatright. He graduated from Alma High School in 1938 and, after attending the University of Arkansas for 2 years, married Mary Ellen (Beaumont) Boatright in 1941 on the Sunday before Pearl Harbor. He served 4 years active duty in the United States Navy during WWII, including Southwest Pacific duty aboard the U.S.S. Wasp (CV-18) as an aviation radar officer. After the War he resumed his studies at the University of Arkansas and graduated in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. Mr. Boatright began a 30-year career as an electrical engineer, working first in Oklahoma for OG&E from 1948 to 1954 and then for American Oil Company (Amoco) in Texas City, TX, starting in 1954. He retired from the Navy as a Lt. Commander USNR in 1964. Mr. Boatright designed and demonstrated an instrumentation and control system that allowed gas turbine-powered electrical generation to be used in petroleum refineries. He transferred to Amoco International to work full time in refinery design and building. Development of a new refinery at Milford Haven in South Wales, U. K., allowed the family to relocate to Britain in 1970. Mr. Boatright accepted early retirement from Amoco in 1976, and moved to Baxter County from the Texas Gulf Coast in 1977. Mr. Boatright was quite proud to have been the University of Arkansas intramural champion in 1941 for (singles) horseshoe pitching. He learned to drive during the Depression in the same 1925 Ford Model TT ton truck which later he fully restored as a retirement project. That truck remains in the family. He had a great interest in designing and building their retirement homes, in chess playing, in family boating and camping outings, and in politics at all levels. He married Dorothy (Kennedy) Boatright on October 13, 1994 in Mountain Home and they attended Redeemer Lutheran Church Survivors: Wife- Dorothy Kennedy Boatright,Sons- James Allen (Sharon) Boatright of Gassville, Ar., Robert (Linda)Boatright of Houston, TX., and David (Paula) of Gassville,AR., One sister- Laverna Boatright of Alma, Ar.,and a grandchild- Laurel Boatright of Houston, Tx. Preceded in Death by: Parents and first wife Mary Ellen Beaumont Funeral: Kirby-Boaz Funeral Home Chapel onMonday, January 8, 2007 at 1:00 P.M. Memorials: In Lieu of flowers pleased make contribution to Hospice of the Ozarks