William "Bill" Boggs

With the Vietnam war worsening and more American lives being lost, 1965 had several positive events occurring. The St. Louis Gateway Arch was completed, the Voting Rights Act become law, the Gemini Space Program continues into 1965 and lays the groundwork for an eventual manned mission to the moon and no news was more exciting to Kenneth and Freda (Minnix) Boggs as they welcomed their son, William Dean Boggs into their heart and home on March 15, 1965 in Ventura, California.

At a young age, Bill and his family moved to South Whitley, Indiana. This town became home to Bill and his involvements in the local sports occupied a lot of his time as a teenager. As he attended Whitko High School, he competed in football, basketball and baseball. By the time his senior year came around, Bill's decided to work as he finished up his final year of school. He would go on to graduate with the Class of 1983. Throughout his work career he was at Fox Products for two years, Hicks & Deaton Hardware for over 10 Years, Seam Co., Gene's Super Value, International Wood and had served on the South Whitley Town Council from 2012-2018. He was a member of the AM Vets in South Whitley.

Family was everything to Bill. He started dating his wife in 2001 and started taking her fishing in 2002. On the first fishing trip she caught a Crappie and it fell in the water, when she reached down to get the fish Bill was impressed. Dawn did it again and in Bill's words, "I knew she was a keeper right then." Bill and Dawn married May 10, 2003. They each brought two children into their marriage to give them four children together. They both promised to love each other's children as their own. The family has continued to grow, as he has eight beautiful grandchildren and another on the way. His favorite saying to his loved ones was "Always remember I love you, don't ever forget that."

He loved being a father to his children and really enjoyed spending time with all his grandchildren. He was always teaching all them new things, bad words, and giving them advice. His grandchildren liked to call him a genius because he always had an answer to everything. He was always there to talk them through any problem they had.

Bill loved the outdoors. He loved to fish and would teach everyone that wanted to learn how to do so. He spent many nights sitting around a fire with friends and family exchanging stories and sharing jokes. In the summer, he would sit in the sun on the deck and talk to everyone who walked by. Bill never knew a stranger, he loved meeting new people and talking with them about life.

He was also a gambler. Bill loved to take casino trips, play poker and roll dice with his family and friends. He enjoyed the conversation and competition, but most of all, he loved taking their money.

He spent 13 years coaching baseball and softball. He was a knowledgeable and patient coach and taught many children things about playing and sportsmanship. Bill loved watching his children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren in all their sports and activities.

He was a fighter. He fought Muscular Dystrophy for 32 years. He was not one to complain, but just put a smile on his face and kept moving on. He was the strongest man we knew. In 2012, Bill and his family and friends started doing the MDA Muscle Walk to help send children affected to MDA camp and to hopefully find a cure. Last year his team, Team Boggs was the number one family fundraising team in the nation. Bill always said. "I am not doing this for me, I am doing it for the children."

Life will never be the same for Bill's family and friends. At 11:59 a.m. Sunday, March 31, 2019, William "Bill" Boggs passed away at his home. He is survived by his loving wife, Dawn Boggs; children, Tasia (Stephen) Sprovach, of Ann Arbor, Mich. and Kyle (Courtney) Boggs, of South Whitley; step-children, Kristin (Billy) Streby, of Pierceton and Brianna Bumbaugh, of South Whitley; mother, Freda Boggs, of South Whitley; sisters, Lori (Jan) Freel, of South Whitley, Bobbie (Larry) Muncy, of North Manchester, Donna Heiny, of Warsaw and, Kelly Boggs, of South Whitley; and grandchildren, Mason, Katrina, Laila, Alicia, and Olivia Streby, Emma Thompson, Lucas Sprovach, Beckett Boggs and expecting one more. He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Boggs; and brother, Donald Boggs.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 3:30-8 p.m. Thursday, April 4, 2019 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home with Pastor Jeff Lewis officiating. Memorial donations may be made in his honor to Parkview Whitley Home Health Care and Hospice. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send his family condolences online.