Longtime Claremont resident Duane E. Bovett died on February 15, 2009 at the age of 75. 

With his salt-and-pepper, Sean Connery-style beard, Mr. Bovett was easily recognized around town as he cruised in his tan, 1965 convertible Mustang, which he bought from a colleague after “bugging him and bugging him,” said Mr. Bovett’s wife, Carol Bovett. 

“A lot of people stop and look when you have a car like that. He got a big charge out of that. He loved to drive that mustang,” said Ms. Bovett who noted that every member of their family owned a Mustang at one time or another. 

“We had Mustangs coming out of our ears,” she said. 

Mr. Bovett was born in Pasadena on June 26, 1933 and grew up there as well as in Los Angeles. After marriage and 2 children, the family moved to Glendora in 1959 and then, in 1965 with 3 children, they moved to Claremont. 

After spending some time studying architecture at Los Angeles City College, Mr. Bovett was drafted into the US Army. He was stationed in Hokaido, Japan with the Reconnaissance Scout Dog Platoon. The German Shepherds he worked with became dear to his heart and engendered a lifelong love of dogs. 

“He just loved those dogs, and those dogs would give their life,” Ms. Bovett commented.

Following service in Hokaido, Mr. Bovett was reassigned to a military police unit in Tokyo.

Upon returning to the US, Mr. Bovett completed studies at Western Electronics Trade School and gained employment at the Burroughs Corporation (now Unisys) in Pasadena where he remained for 22 years. During that time, he earned a bachelor’s degree from La Verne College (now University of La Verne). He spent a 35-year career in the electronics and computer industry and, along the way, became the holder of 2 US Patents.

“He had many ideas about inventions,” Ms. Bovett wrote in a remembrance.

During retirement, Mr. Bovett served as a 1996-97 Grand Juror for the County of Los Angeles.

Besides trekking around town in his Mustang, Mr. Bovett was “kind of a homebody,” said his wife. He loved spending time with his family and had a special tenderness and concern for children in general.

He had a different sense of humor, one not always or easily understood by others, “especially me,” said Ms. Bovett, who explained that his offbeat humor wasn’t nasty, “just different.” But once people got to know him and gained a better understanding of his personality, his out-of-the-ordinary remarks could inspire laughter.

Mr. Bovett is survived by his wife of 54 years, Carol Bovett of Claremont; his daughter and son-in-law, Teri and Paul Peterson of Yorba Linda; his 2 sons and daughters-in-law, David and Julie Bovett of Clements and Robert and Sally Bovett of Newport, Oregon; his 3 grandsons, Chris Peterson and Sean and Aaron Bovett; and by his 2 step-grandchildren, Taylor and Ashly Plesha. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elsie, and by many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. this Friday, February 27, 2009 in the Church of the Heritage at Forest Lawn, Covina Hills, 21300 Via Verde Dr., Covina.

Memorial donations may be made to a favorite children’s charity or to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, 11234 Anderson St., Loma Linda, CA 92354.