MACK BOGGS - Spencer

(04/13/2002)
Mack Denzil Boggs, 68, of Spencer fought a battle with three types of cancer until he was eternally healed on Thursday, April 11, 2002, at Roane General Hospital, Spencer.

He was born Aug. 12, 1933, at Linden, Roane County, a son of the late Howard and Ruby Sheppard Boggs. The family moved to Canoe, and when Mack was 16 months old they moved to Round Knob where they lived until Mack left to attend West Virginia University. Mack graduated from Spencer High School in 1951. He was president of the Future Farmers of America, where he was State Farmer in 1950 and State Dairy Farmer in 1951. Mack was a member of the local 4-H Club for 10 years and was a member of the State Livestock Judging Team Competition and National 4-H Club Congress. He represented West Virginia in the National Competition in Chicago in 1950.

Mack and Doris Merrett, also know as Liz LaMac, were high school sweethearts and were married in 1952 at Morgantown. Mack entered the ministry as a local United Methodist pastor in Reedy, and served the West United Methodist churches while attending West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he graduated with honors in 1962. He received a bachelor of arts degree in sociology with minors in psychology and history. He was Minister of the Year and received the prestigious Frances Asbury Award.

Mack obtained his masters in divinity degree in 1967 from the Methodist Theological School of Ohio and was an ordained deacon and elder and served churches in West Virginia and Ohio for 20 years including congregations in Reedy, Weston, Grantsville, Huttonsville, Cottageville, and Pennsboro, and Kirkpatrick, Ohio. In 1957, Mack became career manager and agent for his wife, Liz LaMac, and her career as a professional ventriloquist. This was an extremely successful combination. They retired in 1995 to Spencer from Nashville, Tennessee In his retirement, he directed his interest to Roane County, having been a Democratic Party activist, and served as editor of the Roane County Democrat newspaper for several years. Mack was always proud to be a Democrat and a Methodist.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Doris "Liz LaMac" Merrett Boggs; two sons, Jeffrey Boggs of Wytheville, Virginia, and Martin Boggs of Nashville, Tennessee; three daughters, Penny Plummer of Wytheville, Sheree Schold of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Sonia McGee of Spencer; two brothers, Daris Boggs of Belpre, Ohio, and Harlen Boggs of Charlotte, North Carolina; one sister, Elah Jan Starcher of St. Albans, West Virginia; seven grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and a multitude of aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.

A Celebration of Life service and a buffet supper in honor of Mack will be 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the St. Johns United Methodist Church, Spencer with the Rev. David Calvert officiating. The buffet supper was planned by Mack and family to express appreciation to each of you present and the hundreds not present who have shared in a moment in the time and space of his life and is being prepared by the ladies of St. John's United Methodist Church. The supper is planned on an evening for the convenience of all those who would like to attend. Private family burial will be in the Clover Cemetery, Clover. It is the wish of the family that you smile when you think of Mack instead of cry when you miss him. In memory of Mack, if individuals prefer, donations may be made to the church of the donor's choice, the American Cancer Society, or the American Diabetes Foundation, c/o Busch Funeral Home, P.O. Box 43, Elizabeth, WV 26143.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Busch Funeral Home, Elizabeth.