A single lit candle against a black background

David Boxler, IT engineer at CWRU, passes away

Photo of David BoxlerDavid Boxler, an IT engineer on University Technology’s Enterprise Systems team, died this past weekend after a brief illness. He was 58.

Boxler became a full-time university employee in 2014, but previously collaborated with [U]Tech for many years as a vendor consultant.

“This is huge loss that leaves a hole in our [U]Tech family,” Vice President for [U]Tech and Chief Information Officer Sue Workman said. “He will be dearly missed.”

Boxler is survived by his wife, Debbie, to whom he was married to for more than 30 years, and his son, Andrew, a senior at Baldwin Wallace University. A “Celebration of Life” memorial service for him will be held Saturday, June 10, at 11 a.m. at Divinity Lutheran Church (11877 Blossom Ave., Cleveland).

His wife said that her husband “loved working at CWRU, and talking with the students kept him feeling young.”

Boxler could often be found in his unofficial “office” in SAGES Café in Crawford Hall. In an email to [U]Tech staff, Assistant Vice President for Finance and Administration Lolita Hines wrote of how Boxler’s “big, open personality filled the [Crawford] space with warmth.”

“He was the light of the room,” added Teaching and Learning Technologies Senior Director Tina Oestreich. “He was so full of laughter and jokes for everyone.”

Boxler was a lifelong member of Divinity Lutheran Church. He served as president of the congregation’s planning council. In honor of his dedication to the church, in lieu of flowers, donations (monetary or non-perishable food items) can be made to the church.