Brice Boesch

Brice was born at the family farm in Sebewaing, Michigan, to Edgar and Alfreda Boesch. He was the second of six children, including Andre Benson, Emily Boesch, Vonnie Eberlein (deceased), Doralee Zeneberg and Leroy Boesch. After high school, Brice attended Michigan State University where he met his beloved wife, Pat Lawrence, on a blind date arranged by the men's and women's dormitory staff. They married on March 22, 1958 and often told stories about their first years living in a tiny apartment while Brice finished school. Their income was so limited they drove to the main shopping area and walked to each store, buying only what was on sale, except for peanut butter and ice cream, Brice's favorite foods, and creamed corn, the only vegetable he would eat. Brice worked summers for the Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and then joined the agency full-time upon receiving his B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from Michigan State. Brice was posted in many different cities in Michigan, moving frequently with his young and growing family. He loved working with farmers, instructing them in better growing techniques and designing irrigation and drainage systems. Brice could identify any crop while driving by and taught his daughters to do the same, also teaching them about the difference between center pivot and drip irrigation. Brice's work with SCS took him to Yuma, Arizona where he worked with farmers on desalinization techniques to comply with U.S. treaties for salt content in the Colorado River. He then moved to Colorado, traveling the state and adding new technologies to his repertoire of expertise. Brice always put his family first, seeking information from the state Department of Education on the quality of school districts before determining where to buy their house in the Denver metro area. Brice left SCS for a few years and went into private practice, then took positions with U.S. Aid in Maylasia, St. Kitts and Jamaica to teach farming techniques. His greatest adventure came in 1989 when he and Pat moved to El Minia, Egypt for two years so he could work on irrigation projects on the Nile River. Brice loved his time in Egypt, where he found the people friendly and reveled in the unique culture. He tried valiantly to learn Arabic and, though he wasn't terribly successful, with his ever-present, big smile, made many Egyptian friends. Brice always laughed that he was not the stereotypical reserved, introverted engineer. He never met a stranger and always believed the best in everyone. Even in his last years with Alzheimer's, when asked what he had been doing, Brice always answered, ""helping people"". Brice's favorite role was with his family. He was a devoted husband and father, always claiming that his wife and daughters were the smartest, prettiest, most talented and best in the world. He loved spending time with his extended family and was the favorite uncle and cousin to many of his relatives. Brice's greatest joy was his grandchildren. He loved cuddling them as infants, reading stories to them as toddlers, playing games as they got older, and talking when they became young men and women. Brice always declared that loving your children and grandchildren was the most important job in the world, and that as long as they all grew into happy, healthy, caring adults, they were successful. Brice was loved by his family and all who knew him: his wife, Pat, daughters, Cindy Hyman, Linda Downey Turner and Heidi Trevithick and ""adopted"" sons, Bob Bach and Mark Muse. Brice had 10 grandchildren: Dane and Dylan Hyman, Stephen Downey, Zack and Sarah Turner, David and Daniel Trevithick and Jonathan, James and Mary Bach. Brice's sons- and daughter-in-laws loved him like their own father: Mike Hyman, Chuck Turner, Mike Trevithick and Annemarie Bach. Services will be held in Brice's honor on Sunday, April 24 at 3:00 pm at Spirit of Hope United Methodist Church, 3885 S. Broadway, Englewood, CO. In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be made in Brice's name to: Someren Glen at the Christian Living Communities, http://christianlivingcommunities.org/someren-glen And Alzheimer's Association: http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp