WILMINGTON — It is with inexpressible pain and sadness that the family of Joel Thomas Boswell announces his passing on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Joel was born September 6, 1988 at UNC Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC to Thomas (Tom) and Debbie Boswell. He grew up in Raleigh, NC and the surrounding area along with his younger siblings, twin sisters (Gloria & Majesty) and a brother (Isaac).
Growing up Joel and his siblings attended church where their mother was a psalmist who wrote lyrics, music and played the piano and keyboard. At home Debbie sang Godly songs over her children and prayed for them. Singing in the church and singing at home, Debbie brought her children up in an atmosphere of worship and praise, all the while helping her husband grow a stone masonry business.
Being close in age, Joel and his siblings attended school together and formed an unbreakable bond. They all participated in Taekwondo and some tournaments together. Joel and Isaac played football. The Boswell siblings enjoyed going to summer camp, spending many hours at the pool with their friends, and ocean swimming that included doing winter plunges together. The quartet were a passionate, radical bunch, relentless in living life to the fullest. They have all become entrepreneurs in their own right. Majesty and Gloria are running their own Esthetician businesses separately. Isaac has many talents, one being a Top Chef who single-handedly ran a resort in Maine and traveled the world enjoying the fruit of his labor. Currently, Isaac is in top sales management in the construction industry. Joel expressed he wanted everyone to know how proud he was of his siblings and there was nothing they would not do for each other.
After years of moves within North Carolina and living out of state, Joel decided to settle in Wilmington, NC. Joel was a master stonemason; however, after gaining work experience with his Dad in home construction, Joel formed Legacy Renovations LLC. Joel asked his Dad to partner with him. Tom praised his son for being a great visionary with a unique ability to understand construction and to make it plain to customers. He built personal relationships with his customers and business associates which is a legacy in and of itself. As the business grew Joel and Tom brought in Carlos Sanchez as a partner. Joel and Carlos became like brothers. Tom said he is proud to say Carlos holds an unlimited license in residential and commercial construction and he is a key part to their business success.
Joel is the first born of his parents. Not only did he enjoy spending time with his siblings, he thoroughly enjoyed wining, dining and vacationing with his Mom and he looked for every opportunity to be a blessing to her and her to him. Joel had a unique relationship with his Mom and he often spoke highly of her. He wanted to build her a home on his own property which kept him planning her retirement into his future. The blueprints were kept on his refrigerator.
Joel was an outdoorsman. He has traveled to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and just recently Austria. With his love for the outdoors came Joel’s passion for motorcycles which is something he shared with his brother. He would seek out racing workshops, events and venues with tracks that would accommodate his love for excessive speed.
Joel’s smile and sense of humor are greatly missed. There is a host of relatives, friends and business associates in mourning. While the pain is great for Joel’s parents, indescribable pain is felt by his siblings. Although Joel no longer lives in this realm, his spirit lives on in the hearts of those who knew him. He will never be forgotten by the ones who are fond of him and those who dearly and tenderly love him. From Joel’s own words spoken during the last week of his life and the testimony of his Mom and Dad, God has assured them that Joel is in the presence of God’s care.
