Thomas P. Boggess III, 79, of River Forest, longtime CEO of the Alfred Mossner Company, a Chicago reprographics firm at 137 N. Wabash, died Sunday, Oct. 22 of heart problems, in the West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. Born in Greenville, KY, the second of five children, Mr. Boggess grew up in Johnston City and Maywood, IL. He raised his family in River Forest where he resided for 50 years and served as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals for 25 years. He is a member and past Elder of the Westchester Bible Church, a past Director and Treasurer of the Blue Printers Supply Corporation, a member and past President of the Blue Print Club of Chicago, a member of the Oak Park Country Club, a member of the Disabled American Veterans, decorated Purple Heart and Bronze Star and a member of the USS Tennessee Reunion Association. He first worked for the A&P Company in 1938 and was manager of their Oak Park store in 1942 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After very brief training he was put on the battleship USS Tennessee as a storekeeper. His battleship was engaged in multiple battles in the Pacific from the Aleutian waters in 1943 to the sea battle at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. On April 12, 1945 (the day President Roosevelt died), their ship was engaged in intense shelling at Okinawa. They were attacked by seven Kamikazes and he was among the seriously wounded, losing his right leg above the knee. After spending a year and a half in Naval hospitals, he returned to Maywood, IL and began his work with the Alfred Mossner Company in November, 1946. He worked there continuously, very seldom missing a day of work, until January, 2000 when he retired. In addition to his wife, Ann Marie, nee Mossner, of 58 years, he is survived by his son, Thomas IV (Sandra); his daughter, Nancy (Timothy) Jorgensen; his sister, Dorothy Boggess; his grandchildren, Phillip and Robert Boggess and Kari and Erik Jorgensen; his sister-in-law, Ruth Boggess; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park. Funeral Services will be Thursday at the Westchester Bible Church, 10600 Cermak Road, Westchester, with visitation at 10 a.m. and the Service at 10:30 a.m. Interment at Mount Emblem Cemetery, Elmhurst. 708-383-3191.
