Chip Bok’s father passes away

Dr. Arthur Bernard Bok, Jr., 86, father of former BJ cartoonist Chip Bok, passed away Dec. 17.

Chip’s dad was the University of Dayton’s team physician for 23 years and the Dayton Gems’ International Hockey League team before that.

The Cincinnati native played high school football in Toledo and his Ohio North-South Game coach in 1946 was Frank Leahy, the famous Notre Dame mentor.

Dr. Arthur Bernard Bok, Jr.

Dr. Bok played football for Dayton, where he met his wife, Jeanne Stewart. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts but opted instead for medical school.

Dr. Bok is survived by his wife, 5 children, 19 grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

To read Arthur B. “Chip: Bok III’’s tribute to his father, click on http://bokbluster.com/2014/12/26/artful-art-big-d/

Here’s the official obituary on Dr. Bok:

BOK, Arthur B. Jr., D.O., 86, passed away on December 17, 2014, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Cincinnati, OH on August 21, 1928, to Arthur B. Bok, Sr. and Hilda Boehl Bok.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jeanne Stewart Bok, and 5 children, Arthur B., III ("Chip") (Deb) of Akron, OH, Sharon B. Carey (Matt), of Louisville, KY, Daniel M. Bok of Denver, CO, Julie B. Johnson (Jeff), of Dublin, OH, William B. Bok (Peggy) of Dayton, OH, and was very proud of his 19 grandchildren and his great granddaughter.

He graduated from the University of Dayton in 1950 where he played football and was later inducted into the U.D. Athletic Hall of Fame. Following his graduation, he signed a contract to play professional football for the Baltimore Colts but opted instead to attend the Chicago School of Osteopathic Medicine, from which he graduated in 1954.

Dr. Bok practiced medicine in the Dayton community for 43 years. He pioneered the Sports Medicine Program at U.D., served as team physician for U.D. Athletics for 23 years, served as vice president and team physician for the Dayton Gems IHL hockey team and team physician for Meadowdale High School and Fairview High School Athletics and the Troy Skating Club.

He was a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine and the American College of General Practitioners in Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery and served as a Clinical Professor at The Ohio University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, December 22, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of the Incarnation, 55 Williamsburg Lane, with burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 21, 2014 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Routsong Funeral Home, 81 North Main Street in Centerville.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to University of Dayton Athletics (or football) program, mail to Brian Tracy, Director of Athletic Development at 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469-7053 or https://alumnicommunity.udayton.edu/champions , or Franciscan Friars, 1615 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, or Hospice of Dayton Foundation, 324 Wilmington Avenue, Dayton, OH 45420 or online at www.hospiceofdayton.org . Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.routsong.com .