Dr. Bosher stayed in Chesterfield for four years.

“There were some tense moments,” Trammell said, nothing that the usual tumult of changing superintendents combined with the new tumult of adding SOLs left some in the county uneasy. “But Bill did a great job of putting together the right team. He helped us tremendously.”

Trammell also helped Dr. Bosher, steering him into one of the odder assignments of his career, a seat on the Virginia Pesticide Control Board.

“I was working in pesticides at the time, and I thought he’d be a good fit,” Trammell said. “I kept pushing him, saying, ‘Bill, you need to ask the governor to appoint you.’ He finally asked, and he was appointed.”

Dr. Bosher served on the board for more than five years, including a term as chairman. Even though he had no known expertise in pesticides, he quickly proved himself a good fit on the board.

“Bill gave us knowledge of the operation of government, how government can deal with constituents,” said Wayne Surles, who was executive secretary on the board. “He was truly a consumer advocate. His keen intellect and skill set was a perfect fit for us. I can’t think of anything but good things to say about him.”