Joseph Keith Bosarge, 87, died Friday, April 22, 2011 at home surrounded by family.
He was born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1924, the second child of Anna Rae and Percy Bosarge. He had six siblings, Gerald, Kathleen, Buddy, Vincent, Norita and Gloria.
After serving in the Navy on the USS Wilkes Barre in World War II, he returned to Mobile and married Dorothy Chidgey, his sweetheart, who would be his wife for 63 years.
A physicist with degrees from Spring Hill College and LSU, he worked on the X-15 project for the U.S. Air Force and received various patents while working at Sperry Rand and Courtaulds. He concluded his career as professor emeritus of electrical engineering at the University of South Alabama.
Upon his death, he remained a passionate fisherman and craftsman, having built a number of family homes and boats, as well as countless contraptions and machines made of spare parts and scrap materials. A devout Catholic, he gave much of his time in retirement lending his handiwork to Christ the King Church in Daphne and St. Thomas by the Sea Catholic Church in Orange Beach.
He was preceded in death by two grandsons, Josh and Sean.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; three children, Judy, Joe (Terry), and Cathy; three grandchildren, Mike, Jamie (Marc), and Erin (Adam); and three great-grandchildren, Max, Sam and Raider.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 26 at Christ the King Catholic Church, Daphne. Entombment will be held at a later date at Pine Rest Memorial Park, Foley.
Arrangements are by Pine Rest Funeral Home Inc., Foley.
