David Wyatt Boxley passed away in an auto accident in Colorado Springs, CO, on Feb. 2, 2026. He was the son of Howard Wyatt Boxley and Shirley Jean Bell, born on May 16, 1962, in Springfield, IL. He grew up as the middle child in a Catholic middle-class family, living in Rosewood Heights, IL, Lenexa, KS, and Doraville, GA. When he was 6 years old, he was hit by a car and was in a coma for several days; he had rocks under his skin for most of his childhood. In early childhood, he was found to have a very high IQ but struggled throughout school due to an undiagnosed dyslexia. In school, he played several sports, primarily football and baseball. He graduated from Henderson High School in Chamblee, GA in 1980.
David joined the US Army in 1984 and was stationed in Germany after his training in Fort Benning, GA. In 1991, he was a scout with D Troop, 4th Cavalry, 197th Regiment, and was tasked with advance reconnaissance. In that capacity, his unit entered Iraq a day before any other forces, travelling 136 kilometers by nightfall, and providing intelligence for the rest of the Sledgehammer Brigade to use in their attacks on As Salman Air Base and Tallil Air Base. David spent the rest of the conflict aiding operations along the Euphrates River and managing hundreds of captured Iraqi soldiers. During clean-up operations, David and his brigade destroyed 900 tons of munitions, unfortunately exposing him to sarin, dioxin, and many other toxins. Upon his return, he was placed with the 3rd Army Combat Ready Force in Colorado Springs, where he lived for the rest of his service. He retired after 21 years of service as a Staff Sergeant with 2 bronze service stars and over two dozen medals from his international military career. David was active at VFW Post 3917 until his death.
Upon his return from the 1st Gulf War, David divorced and then found the love of his life, marrying Fabiola in 1996. They shared a love of nature and the outdoors, and they cherished a particularly memorable trip to Mt. Rushmore. After his military retirement, David worked as a parts manager at Front Range Honda and security officer, until his retirement in 2024.
David was always a do-er. He particularly enjoyed being in nature, where he was often seen around Brush Hollow Reservoir and other natural areas. He could also be seen with a metal detector in hand around Canon City, looking and sometimes finding interesting things. It would not be uncommon to see David huddling over a bunch of dirt, excavating his find. He enjoyed collecting rocks of all kinds, but finding and cracking open geodes was a particular joy for him. He also enjoyed riding on his 4-wheeler when it was working and not in the shop. His home is a reflection of his handiness with tools and design, from the hardwood floors to his downstairs bar. All done by him.
However, David’s foremost activity was fishing. There are few bodies of water in Colorado that he did not take his fishing pole to. Not limiting his fishing to local waters, he fished in the Gulf and other areas as well. And doing any fishing from a boat was a particular enjoyment for David, as he loved being on the water. The list of fish he caught would be very long, but very tasty. Grilled. With his favorite Cobb salad. With maybe some ginger tea. And speaking of grilling, his steak, BBQ chicken, and salmon were a culinary treat for the family every time.
In the few moments when David was still, he enjoyed watching other people do things as well. His viewing habits tended to be of accomplished people doing interesting things (American Idol, America’s Got Talent) or of people exploring natural and unusual sites. Like himself. And David very much enjoyed watching his family grow and being a part of that process. He believed in having his children learn from experience, sometimes humorously tutoring them about not putting their face near a tire spinning in the mud or not touching rocks around a fire to see if they are hot. Dave’s children learned these lessons well.
David was complicated and straightforward. He was at times quick to anger and just as quick to be tender and caring. He was strong-willed and resilient in the face of the challenges he faced. He was goofy and enjoyed dressing in the most outrageous Halloween costumes. He was kind-hearted to those he felt were worthy. He was loving to his family and friends. He was sincere, reliable, ambitious, and observant. And he was loved. His family loved him deeply, especially when he wore his palm-treed vacation shirts.
He is survived by his wife, Fabiola Haydee Cruz Boxley, of Colorado Springs, and his children: David Wyatt Boxley II (Lisa) of Dawsonville, GA, Amber Elizabeth Anderson of Dawsonville, GA, Randy Wyatt Boxley (Katisha) of Colorado City, CO, Amanda Haydee Villafan (Steven) of Charleston, SC, Jessica Brittnae Boxley of Colorado Springs, and stepson, Cesar Armando Rodriguez (Briana), of El Paso, TX; 11 grandchildren: Summer Elizabeth Staton (Johnathon), Hunter Wyatt Boxley, Zachary Thomas Boxley, Jaxson Wyatt Boxley, Colton Kenneth Land, Jacqueline Elizabeth Land, Mahayla Grace Anderson, Brayden Allen Boxley, Samuel Tomas Villafan, Gabriel Andres Villafan, Julian Rodriguez; 2 great grandchildren, Blakely Elizabeth Staton and Iris Grace-Wyatt Boxley (nascitura); and his brother, Robert Kent Boxley (Valeria Sloan). He is predeceased by his parents and sister Kathleen.
After dodging IEDs, holding his breath near burn pits, managing Iraqi POWs, he was killed in an auto accident on Highway 115 leaving a doctor’s appointment on his way to surprise his wife at work.
The service will be held at Shrine of Remembrance, 1730 East Fountain Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO on Monday, Feb 9th at 11 am with full military honors.