Anthony Donald Bogus

   RACINE.   Anthony “Tony” Donald Bogus, age 100, passed away on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at Wheaton Franciscan All-Saints   Hospital. 

   He was born February 7, 1916 in Racine, WI to Anthony and Anna (Kunkowski) Bogus.

   Tony attended St. Stanislaus Grade School and Franklin Junior High School.  He graduated from Washington Park High School, Class of 1934.  On June 4, 2006 he was inducted into the Washington Park High School Hall of Fame.

   In 1931 he joined the Sea Scouts Ship “John Porter” and was the first in the City of Racine to achieve the rank of Quartermaster.  In 1934 Tony was presented his medal award from Admiral Richard E. Byrd at the Bradford High School Auditorium in Kenosha.  Admiral Byrd, the famous Polar explorer, was in town to give a speech and agreed to do the honors. 

   On April 19, 1942 Tony graduated from Marquette University with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering, became an Ensign in the U. S. Navy Reserves, and was formally engaged to be married.

   On July 4, 1942 he wed Marjorie L. Bires of Racine at Holy Trinity Church. With God’s grace, they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary before Marjorie’s passing on July 13, 2012.

   Tony served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.  In 1942 he attended the University of Notre Dame which was the indoctrination facility for newly-commissioned officers.  This was followed with training in the U.S. Navy Ensign ROTC program at Marquette University.  He attended the Torpedo School at the Naval Station in Newport, RI.  Later he left for the Naval Ordnance Plant (Amertorp) in St. Louis as Navy Engineering Officer Representative on Aircraft Torpedoes.  In 1944 he transferred back to the Naval Torpedo Research Station in Newport to work on Chemical Torpedoes as Instruction Officer for Chemical & Electric Torpedoes until 1945.

   Tony was part of a team which redesigned the compressed air/alcohol-driven submarine torpedoes to the newly-developed chemical torpedo which used a different propellant.  This eliminated the wake of gas bubbles which could be seen for some distance, allowing the enemy to track the location of our submarines.  As the war progressed, new advances with weaponry were made, so Tony gave refresher training courses for personnel from submarines, destroyers, PT boats and carriers.  He was honorably discharged in 1945, and remained a member of Inactive U.S.N.R. until 1952.

    Post-war, Tony was employed with Young Radiator Company as Sales Manager.  He left to join B. L. Whittmann and Associates as Vice President, and later accepted a position as Vice President at Milwaukee Machine Products.  Retiring in 1984, his leisure-time passion became golf, with many fun trips to Myrtle Beach with the PGA (Poor Golfers Association).

   While at Young Radiator, Tony received a patent in 1958 for a Heat Exchanger.  The fan shroud he designed on radiator systems for all cooling systems is still being used today.  He also designed cooling systems which were used by the Defense Early Warning (DEW) systems housed from Alaska to Greenland.

   Tony was a member of the Triangle Engineering Fraternity, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, St. Lucy’s Catholic Church, and Kenosha Country Club.  He was Scoutmaster for Troop 77 at Holy Trinity Church.  Tony attended the Marquette University’s Golden Jubilee in 1992, Marquette University’s Engineering Class of 1942’s 50th Reunion, and Park High School Class of 1934’s 50th Reunion. 

   He was preceded in death by his loving parents and brother Theodore, devoted wife Marjorie, son-in-law Carl Gosewehr, and many family members.

   Tony is survived by his daughters Kathryn (Sherman J.) Foertsch of Racine; Karen Gosewehr of Hartland, WI; and Mary Ellen (Ken) Gardner of Hot Springs Village, AR.

   Grandchildren are Lara (Henry) Ehrsam, Toni (Daniel) Flesch, Dana (Renato) Gilberti, Bobi (Daniel) Komer, and Eric (Connie) Gardner.

   Great-grandchildren are Malin Ehrsam, Thomas Ehrsam, Samuel Ehrsam, Kaylin Flesch, Conner Flesch, Sydney Flesch, Steven Gardner, Ava Gardner, Colin Gardner, Isabella Gilberti, Peyton Komer, Mia Komer.

   Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 26th at St. Lucy’s Catholic Church.  Visitation will begin at 11 AM, followed by the Celebration of the Mass at Noon.  Internment will take place immediately after at West Lawn Memorial Park Chapel. 

   The family wishes to thank the staff at Wheaton Franciscan All-Saints for their care, and the wonderful staff and residents at Racine Commons (formerly Harmony) where Tony resided these last four years.  Of special note, they thank Fr. Mark Jones, formerly of St. Lucy’s, for his enduring friendship with both Tony and Marge.  And finally, they thank the Draeger-Langendorf family for their compassionate and respectful handling of arrangements. 

   In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a gift in Tony’s name be given to the Children’s Education Fund at St. Lucy’s Parish.  “Dziękuję”