One of Pop’s requests was that everyone be comfortable, so to honor this request, everyone attending both the evening visitation and morning service are being asked to please dress casual.

John H. Boos was born on April 13, 1927, to his mother, Mona, and father, John Sr. He lived life to the fullest. He and his younger brother, Arthur, lived in an apartment in the Bronx with his parents when he was a child. As he got older, he took on odd jobs to help the family.

After graduating from high school, he thought it was his duty to serve his country. John enlisted in the US Army in July 1945. During World War II, he served in the 504th Military Police Battalion and was stationed in Europe.

In April 1946, Private First Class Boos was able to stop a prison break at a US Army stockade. In a commendation letter, the Colonel in charge said, “I wish to commend you upon your exemplary display of American soldiering; of facing imminent danger and coping with your actions are a credit to your organization and the uniform which you wear.”

John was honorably discharged from the army in January 1947 with two commendations: an Army of Occupation Medal and World War II Victory Medal.

When he returned to civilian life, John took more odd jobs and eventually studied design and engineering. In 1951, he took a job at Republic Aviation Corporation. He was part of an aeronautics engineering team that helped design the electrical system on the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. The aircraft was an American supersonic fighter-bomber used by the US Air Force.

But life was not all work. John was attending a funeral when he met the woman of his dreams. Elizabeth Shields was at the same funeral. John and Elizabeth became friends, and eventually, the friendship led to their marriage on July 3, 1954.

They decided to make their home in Brentwood, Long Island, where they grew their family. Their daughter Linda was born first, and three years later, their son John arrived, nicknamed “Jay.”

John continued his career as an aeronautic engineer. He joined Fairchild Industries in 1967, and there he helped design the electrical and mechanical systems of the Heli-Porter Peacemaker aircraft and the Boeing 747.

As a manager at Fairchild, John was also about giving others opportunities. He hired women and people of color when that was not the trend in a very male-dominated industry. He always said, “A good worker is a good worker.” He would eventually leave Fairchild for the Grumman Corporation, where he once again continued his engineering career until his retirement in 1993.

Back at home, John cherished his good friends. His neighbors, Jim and Marion Fogarty became best friends; they were so close that John moved the family to Massapequa Park when the Fogarty’s moved to Massapequa first. They were inseparable, even taking vacations together. In later years, John would become like family to his other neighbors, Jimmy and America Grasso, and their three daughters.

But life changed in 2002 when John decided to move to Dallas, Texas, after his beloved wife passed away. In Texas, he made his home with his son, John, daughter-in-law, Rebecca, and grandson, Alex. And he kept a close relationship with his other grandchildren, Kimberly, Jennifer, Dominic, and Elizabeth.

He picked up the nickname “Pops” along the way because his daughter-in-law said it was her way to show her love for him. The name caught on, and soon family and friends were calling him “Pops” too.

Pops credited his long life to a positive attitude, keeping away from negative people, taking a walk each day, reading a lot, and indulging in a bit of junk food. He also said he did not fear death because he believed in heaven.

Pops passed away on Veteran’s Day. He lived 94 beautiful years and left peacefully in his sleep.

He is preceded in death by his mother and father, wife Elizabeth, younger brother Arthur and grandson Dominic.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Pop’s honor to the Last Hope Animal Shelter or Stephen Siller’s Tunnel to Towers Foundation.