Levi Thomas Boggs

Levi Thomas Boggs, 94, died peacefully at home in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., July 21, 2024. The July 4th weekend before his death, he was still in sharp mind preparing for the hurricane season it was clear he would not see. 

He was born December 31,1929, in Newport News, Va., to Levi Thomas and Ruby Burcher Boggs. During his childhood years in Scottsville, he would grow to love the James River and the Cavaliers. 

He was a Virginia-Scot gentleman, who wore a tweed hat, smoked a pipe-unabashedly himself in the South Carolina Lowcountry. 

A nimble outdoorsman and sportsman, in his youth he played football for Hampden-Sydney before serving in the U.S. Army (Germany and Hawaii). He then returned to complete in 1957 an engineering degree at the University of Virginia. 

Tom Boggs was the type of person who would fix things himself, fix anything, and was most exceptional in a crisis. He worked with various engineering and architectural firms, including a long run as Chief Electrical Engineer for Crouse-Hinds, for which he traveled extensively as an expert on electrical fires. In Charleston, he worked at the Naval Weapons Station, retiring from civil service in 1994. 

He met his wife of 44 years, Katherine (Kay) DuPre Walton Boggs, when visiting his sister Pat Marks and his brother-in-law Dick Marks in Mt. Pleasant. He became father to Kay’s girls, Katharine and Polly-and then an exceptional G-Dad to Alexandra and Henry des Francs, and to Hunter, Ashley and Austin Shaver of Virginia. In Mt. Pleasant, his extended family included the Marks, his wife Kay’s family of DuPres, friends from St. Andrew’s and neighbors in the Old Village. 

Tommy loved celebrating his birthday every New Year’s Eve! On his 90th birthday, friends and family showed up for a gathering on The Bluff that began with a blessing and dinner, continued with the Bluegrass he loved, and ended with a surprise gift from neighbors: fireworks over the harbor.

In his last years, his body began to weaken, but his mind remained remarkably agile. He continued to love his oyster eating, especially with his fishing buddies and Tuesday Bible Study friends, Roger Sparwasser and Frank Bryant, and in good conversation with his Alexandra’s beloved Arthur Cohen. He passed the torch of making bread (the G-Dad recipe he’d adapted from the Mama Rolls of Katharine DuPre), instructing his grandson, Henry, and son-in-law, Jaimey. He watched many hours of sports on television with his nephew, Moby, and grandson, Henry. He regularly attended St. Andrew’s (and in his final years logged onto Zoom church). He daily kept up with the news, sports, business, and read his Bible and devotionals. 

He was preceded in untimely deaths by his first wife Jane Hancock Boggs and their daughter Barry Boggs Shaver.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Kay; the Marks family (his sister and longtime neighbor Pat, Melissa and Bruce Williams, Richard (Moby) and Margie Marks, Anne and Sam Jones); and his daughters’ families: Katharine Walton and Charles James (Jaimey) Easler; Polly and Julian Buxton; Alexandra and Henry des Francs; Hunter, Ashley, and Austin Shaver.

A Celebration of Life will be held on The Bluff at 225 Bennett St. in the fall. His only formal request was for bagpipes. We might hear of this, in his oft expression, in his Virginia voice, "Very Nice.” And with a quick nod of his head, ”Thank ya.” 

Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. -Matthew 25:23 

Instead of flowers, donations in Tommy’s memory may be made to St. Andrew’s Church or Three Rivers Outreach.

A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.