During the 1990s, Ed Boshears served three terms as a Republican state senator from St. Simons Island, earning the respect of fellow lawmakers on both sides of the political divide.
Sen. George Hooks, D-Americus, called Mr. Boshears a true gentleman and a dedicated legislator who placed his constituents' interests above all else. One example, he said, was Mr. Boshears spearheading the passage of Georgia's sex offender registration law in 1998 in response to his constituents' complaints about molestation crimes committed by repeat offenders after their release from prison.
"Until Ed took up that cause, there was a void in Georgia law on the subject," Sen. Hooks said. "Ed was a pioneer in fixing that."
Sen. Hooks said Mr. Boshears was a straight-shooter with those who asked for his support on a measure, "and you could always count on Ed to keep his word."
Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, said what he admired most about Mr. Boshears was that he stood up for ordinary working folks. Sen. Chapman emphasized that Mr. Boshears was especially keen to act on behalf of people who didn't have deep-pockets lobbyists to represent them.
"Ed was also an effective orator," Sen. Chapman added. "I remember once when he addressed a group of developers, he said, 'I look out at the coast and see a beautiful beach — you look at the same thing and see undeveloped land.'"
In 1992, Mr. Boshears became the first Republican elected during the 20th century to represent six southeast Georgia counties included in his 6th Senate District.
As a lawmaker, Mr. Boshears was a strong proponent of protecting Georgia's environment and providing decent care for the mentally ill. For his advocacy of the latter, he won distinguished legislator awards from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the Mental Health Association of Metro Atlanta.
In 2005 Mr. Boshears was appointed to the board of the state's Jekyll Island Authority, a position he took very seriously.
Richard Wood of St. Simons Island, a former chair of the authority, said Mr. Boshears was a staunch advocate of maintaining the island's 65 percent undeveloped, 35 percent developed ratio and sticking by the Jekyll tradition of tourist amenities that average Georgians can afford.
In 2008 Gov. Sonny Perdue chose not to retain Mr. Boshears on the board after the latter argued strenuously against a major oceanfront development that won authority approval but ultimately was scrapped because of the recession.
"Within the past few years, a new hotel and a conference center have been built on Jekyll," Mr. Wood said, "but nothing so far has exceeded the parameters that Ed and I fought to keep."
Edward Eugene Boshears, 66, died Wednesday at his St. Simons Island residence. His graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Westover Memorial Park, Augusta. Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home, Brunswick, is in charge of arrangements.
Born and reared in Augusta, Mr. Boshears earned a bachelor's degree from Emory University and law degrees from the University of Georgia and Georgetown University in Washington.
He joined a law firm in Brunswick in 1972 and five years later opened his own law office there with a wide-ranging practice that included admiralty law, workers compensation and Social Security disability law.
In one of Mr. Boshears' more notable cases, he got a $20 million federal court class-action settlement in 2000 for 115 clients who were former chemical company employees exposed to high levels of mercury on the job.
His brother, Willis Boshears of Augusta, said Mr. Boshears always seemed to keep a houseful of dogs and cats that he had rescued. "Ed got that from our mother, who adored pets," he said.
Also surviving are three stepdaughters, Mary Beth Welch and Kristi Hasten, both of Augusta, and Ginger Stubbs of St. Simons Island; a stepson, Zack Conner of Grenada, Miss.; and several stepgrandchidren.
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