Obituary of Peter Bogash

Return to Table of Contents

Peter Bogash

February 24, 1959 - October 2, 2007

Hampton Union, October 17, 2007

LAKE CHARLES, La. — Peter Bogash, 48, of Lake Charles, formerly of Hampton, N.H., died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, of complications from diabetes.

Born in Peabody, Mass., on Feb. 24, 1959, he was the son of Victor and Mary Lou Ruxton Bogash.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brother, Edward of Peabody, Mass.; sister, Janice and her husband, Andrew Mehan; nephew, Daniel Bogash Mehan of Herndon, Va.; former wife, Evelyn Bogash of Seabrook, N.H.; stepson, Jeremy Archambault of Manchester, N.H.; aunt and uncle, Barbara and James Smerczynski of Peabody; many cousins, old and new friends; and good friends, Charles and Sandra Vidrine of Lake Charles, La., who were always there to help him.

Pete's wishes were to be cremated. His ashes are to be spread at one of his favorite places, Hampton Beach, with his friends, in the spring. Memorial Donations may be made in Pete's memory to: American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria VA 22312.

WE REMEMBER: He was raised in Peabody and was a 1977 graduate of Peabody Vocational High School. He worked for Verizon from 1983 to 2003 as a lineman and technician. Pete was a talented musician and guitar player best known for his local rock band Bogash, formed in the 1970s with friends Tom Irvine, George Glynos and Al Miano. Peter had a passion for designing and building custom guitar tube amplifiers — he was always in search of the perfect tone.

Pete was also a family man. He raised a son, Jeremy, helping to coach his baseball team, taking him hunting and being a positive influence in his life. Pete also enjoyed fishing with his dad, playing with his dogs and riding his motorcycle. Pete was always known for his kindness and generosity. He was genuinely a good person, and always tried to help people. He will be truly missed by his family, friends and those who knew him.


Former Hampton Musician Dies

Bogash Well Known in Local Rock Scene

By Susan Morse

Hampton Union, Friday, October 19, 2007

[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]

HAMPTON -- Peter Bogash, 48, formerly of Hampton, died on Oct. 2 in Louisiana, his adopted home.

Bogash was a musician well known on the Seacoast and North Shore to those who followed local rock bands in the late 1970s and 80s. He called his own band,"Bogash."

The adage, "May you live in interesting times," certainly applied to Bogash, who was caught in the aftermath of 'Hurricane Rita' at his new home in Lake Charles, La., in 2005.

Bogash still made his home in Hampton when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. When Hurricane Rita came ashore the same year, Bogash was working on his new home in Lake Charles. The eye of the storm passed directly over his town. Bogash and his pit bulls, Peppy and Beano, were suddenly homeless.

Hampton Union ran a story on his plight in September 2005. "I was watching this on TV three weeks ago," Bogash said at the time, "and now I'm living it."

He drove 100 miles north looking for a shelter that would accept not only him, but his two dogs. He finally found a place, a boarded up nursing home taken over by the Central Louisiana Humane Society. There were 82 people and 150 dogs and cats in the Shelter for Displaced Families and Pets. The shelter was short on running water, food and beds, said Bogash, who contacted the newspaper in an appeal to Seacoast residents to send aid. Many did.

Bogash went back to his Louisiana home. He died of complications of diabetes, according to his obituary [see above].

He was raised in Peabody, Mass., and is especially remembered for giving a benefit concert in his hometown to help an injured hockey player, said Karen Cottrell MacGregor, who went to high school with Bogash.

"Most everybody in Peabody knew Pete," she said.
Return to Table of Contents