James E. "Jim" Boggs

James E. (Jim) Boggs was born in East Cleveland, Ohio on June 9, 1921 to Ernest B. and Emily Reid Boggs, and died in Austin, Texas on June 2, 2013. Jim was raised in Lakewood, Ohio. He graduated from Oberlin College in 1943, and received his MS and PhD degrees in chemistry from the University of Michigan. During World War II, Jim worked for the Manhattan Project, developing techniques for uranium isotope separation.

He married Ruth Ann Rogers in 1948. They were deeply in love through 54 years of marriage. His family was always a priority for him. They moved to Austin in 1953, when Jim joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Texas. Although he formally retired while in his 70s, Jim continued his research and publication in chemistry. Among other professional awards, Jim was a Fellow of the American Chemical Society and received the prestigious Dr. Barbara Mez-Starck Prize for his outstanding contributions to experimental structural chemistry and molecular physics. Jim very much enjoyed teaching, including freshman and non-majors chemistry. In his later years at UT, he worked extensively with the Overseas Study Program. Jim deeply enjoyed traveling, both in the US and overseas, and was an avid reader.

Jim is preceded in death by his wife Ruth Ann, and is survived by daughters Carol Boggs (Ward Watt) of Stanford, CA; Ann McCarley (Lon McCarley) of Centennial, CO; Lynne Cariker (Bill Cariker) of Manor, TX; and grandchildren Ryan and Beth McCarley.

Visitation will be at 9 am followed by services at 10 am on Saturday June 8 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N Lamar Blvd. Memorial donations may be made to the James E. and Ruth Ann Boggs Endowment Fund at the Mallet Chemistry Library at the University of Texas at Austin, www.lib.utexas.edu/development/