OAKLAND -- Harold Orchanon Boscovich Sr., an Oakland native who led by example with his generosity, integrity and hard work, died April 21 at his Oakland home. He was 87.

"He was a character and he had character," said son Harold Boscovich Jr. of Danville. "He knew Oakland when it was very young. He'd talk to everybody."

"He really was a good guy," son Monte Boscovich of Alameda said. "He made us be honest, and work real hard."

Services are scheduled for 10 a.m. today at St. Lawrence O'Toole's Catholic Church, 3725 High St. in Oakland.

Mr. Boscovich was born Dec. 5, 1915, in Oakland and never lived anyplace else. He was a freshman in the inaugural class of Oakland High School, and graduated in 1933.

While still a young man, his own father fell ill, and Mr. Boscovich spent years supporting his family and taking care of his dad. During this time, he met his future wife Beatrice. The two courted for four years under the watchful eye of a chaperone from her family before marrying in 1941. They had two sons.

For 32 years, Mr. Boscovich was employed by the East Bay Municipal Utility District as assistant manager of the Oakland business office. He retired in the 1970s.

He spent his retirement years much the same way he did most of his life, "doing a lot of things for a lot of people," Boscovich Jr. said. The elder Mr. Boscovich continued to help his neighbors -- even something as simple as cutting their lawns or buying someone a meal.

"The depression made an impact on him," son Boscovich Jr. said. "He never wanted to see anybody hungry. If he saw somebody who looked like they were down, he'd take them to restaurant and buy them a meal.

"Whatever it was, he'd do it."

Mr. Boscovich took in a cousin whose own parents couldn't raise him and cared for him like a son, relatives said.

Mr. Boscovich taught his children giving was the best thing, his eldest son said. One Christmas when he was about 10-years-old, his father decided to help out poor families from church, Boscovich Jr. recalled.

Using connections and chutzpah, Mr. Boscovich got groceries, hams and Christmas trees for 10 families.

"You couldn't say no to my dad," Boscovich Jr. said. With the accouterments of the season, the family made 10 big baskets. Then, dressed in a Santa Claus suit stuffed with a pillow, Mr. Boscovich took his sons house to house bearing the goods, singing "Merry Christmas" upon delivery.

His father taught him, "by action, not just telling. You give and feel better giving."

In his latter years, the elder Mr. Boscovich would hand out gold dollars to everybody -- from grocery store clerks and office assistants to people on the street and at church -- because, as he told his son, everybody could use a dollar.

In addition to his two sons, Mr. Boscovich is survived by two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Wife Beatrice preceded him in death in 2001.

Donations can be made to Sutter Hospice Foundation, 1900 Powell St., Suite 300, Emeryville 94608.