Boulder, CO – Kent Duane Boggs of Boulder, CO passed away on November 13, 2015. He was 93. Kent was born on January 2, 1922 in Porter, WV to Cornelius T. Boggs and Maysel Crowder Boggs. He graduated from Clay County High School. He then attended a national Youth Administration Camp in 1940 and 1941 for on-the-job training in woodwork and radio. He was then employed as a radio technician until his enlistment in the U.S. Army in November of 1942 (Signal Corps). In September ’43 he was assigned to the 116th Signal Radio Intelligence Company and served as radio intercept and direction finder operator in the European Theatre of Operations where he was engaged in four major battles. In ’46 to ’50 he attended West Virginia University where he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE). On August 7, 1953 Kent married Frances Boggs in Gordonville, VA. Together they had five children; Roger, Richard, Chip, Laura and James.
In 1951 he started work with the North Atlantic Radio Warming Service at Fort Belvoir, VA. In ’54 he became ionospheric propagation forecaster and served as Chief Forecaster for NARWS and forecast service for NASA’s ground communications network. In ’65 he was given a superior accomplishment award by the government for forecasting of the firing of the moon rocket Ranger 7 and Mariner 64 deep space probe missions.
In ’64 Kent attended the International Committee on Space Research conference in Florence, Italy. He was proud to be one of the 500 scientists.
He retired from the government in ’77 and went to work for the Boulder Valley School District, initially at Boulder High School and then at Burbank Junior High. He always enjoyed working with kids.
In ’71 Kent joined the Boulder Luncheon Optimist Club. He worked hard for BLOC, being president twice. He was also a member of the American Legion in Boulder. Kent and family joined Mountain View United Methodist Church shortly after moving to Boulder.
For 25 years Kent was a loyal employee at Crist Mortuary, where he will be greatly missed.
Kent is survived by his wife Frances; children Laura Boggs Urbain and James Boggs; sister Eloise J. Boggs; grandchildren Travis Boggs, Dextr Boggs, Richard Boggs, Melissa Urbain, Melinda Urbain and Miranda Shoats; great-grandchildren Billi, Dextr, Preston, Xavier, Quentin, Tyler, Madison, Autumn and Lela. He was preceded in death by sons Roger, Richard and Chip; parents CT and Maysel and brothers Blake and Keith.
Funeral service was held at 10:30 am Saturday, November 21 at Mountain View United Methodist Church, 355 Ponca Pl, Boulder, CO 80303 with Pastor Steven K. Warren officiating. Interment followed at Mountain View Memorial Park in Boulder. Memorial contributions in Kent’s honor may be made to Tru Community Hospice or Mountain View United Methodist Church. Please leave condolences at www.cristmortuary.com.
Editor’s note: Reprinted at request of a reader
