John “Jack” Bogits | April 1, 1942  –  July 16, 2026

John Adam Bogits Jr. – known warmly and universally as Jack – passed away on July 16, 2026, leaving behind a legacy as rich and varied as the life he lived. Born on April 1, 1942, in Wyandotte, Michigan, to the loving union of John and Emma (Burbo) Bogits, Jack was a man who could turn his hand to virtually anything – and more often than not, he did exactly that.

If ever a man embodied the phrase “Jack of all trades,” it was Jack Bogits. His working life was a testament to his versatility, his capability, and his willingness to roll up his sleeves and get the job done in whatever form that took. Among his proudest professional achievements was his time as a business owner, operating an engine cleaning service on the property of Downriver Scrap – an entrepreneurial venture that reflected his independence and his drive. At Downriver Scrap, Jack also put his considerable skills to work as a crane operator, a hi-lo driver, and a semi-truck driver, demonstrating time and again that there were very few things he could not master. Before finding his ultimate professional footing, Jack also explored his talents as a cabinet maker – a pursuit that ultimately taught him something important about himself. He was skilled enough for the work, certainly, but he discovered that he preferred woodworking as a hobby rather than an occupation – a distinction that allowed him to keep his passion purely joyful. Jack concluded his working career as a furnace operator, rounding out a professional life as diverse and impressive as the man himself.

But as accomplished as Jack was in his working life, it was in his personal pursuits where his spirit truly soared – and nothing captured that spirit more completely than fishing. Jack’s love affair with a fishing line began in the most charming way imaginable – as a young boy, casting his line right in front of his childhood home, fishing in the sewer with nothing but a pole and the pure, uncomplicated joy of a child who had discovered his calling. That simple beginning blossomed into a lifelong passion that turned Jack into nothing short of a master fisherman. Over the years he owned a number of his own fishing boats, but the truth was that the vessel – or lack thereof – never much mattered to Jack. Whether it was his own boat or a friend’s, a vast open lake or a tiny winding creek, Jack was going to find a way to get a line in the water. The camping trips he treasured with his beloved wife Mary Ann were no exception. Even there, Jack found a way – and if the only option available was fishing from a paddle boat, then a paddle boat it was. Where there was water, there was Jack, and where there was Jack, there was a fishing line.

Classic automobiles were another of Jack’s great loves. A passionate and knowledgeable classic car enthusiast, he enjoyed attending car shows, appreciating the craftsmanship, history, and beauty of the vehicles on display. At home, Jack had assembled an impressive model car collection that reflected the same devotion and attention to detail that defined everything he did.

Jack was preceded in death by his beloved parents, John and Emma Bogits.

He leaves to cherish his memory his devoted and beloved wife, Mary Ann; his children, Scott, Randy, Patrick, and Michael Bogits; his loving grandchildren; and his siblings, David Bogits, Ellen Bartolotta, and Susan Scherm, along with a host of extended family and friends.

Jack Bogits was a man of remarkable range – equally at home behind the wheel of a semi-truck or at the helm of a fishing boat. He worked hard, fished harder, and loved his family most of all. From the boy fishing in the sewer in front of his childhood home to the master fisherman casting from a paddle boat on a camping trip with his wife, Jack lived every chapter of his life with skill, humor, and heart. The world is a quieter place without him – but somewhere out there, the fish had better be ready.

Rest in peace, Jack. May the fishing be endless and the catches legendary.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen