Rosalynd Sophie (Foss) Bockus (1908 - 1999)

Born 18 Jan 1908 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, United States

Wife of Henry Leroy Bockus M.D. — married 13 Jan 1935 in Putnam County, New York, USA

Died 17 Aug 1999 at age 91 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Rosalynd Sophie Foss was born on 18 January 1908 in the Bronx, New York City, New York USA. She was the daughter of Norwegian immigrants: Carl L. Foss, b: 1874 in Norway, a Printer; and Anna Marie (Olsen) Foss, b: 1882 in Norway. They had immigrated to New York City in the 1890s. They had been married on 1 June 1907 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.^[1][2]

On the 1 April 1930 US Census, "Rosalyne S. Foss," was recorded as the 22-year-old unmarried daughter of "Louis Foss," age 55, and "Anna Foss," 46 years old. The 3 of them were living together in a rented apartment ($95/month) on Weber Ave, the Bronx, ED 202, New York, New York, USA. Her father was a "Printing Machine Repairman," and Rosalyne was a "High School Teacher". Her parents were said to have immigrated to New York from Norway in 1891 and 1897. ^[3]

Exactly how, when or where Rosalynd met Dr. H.L. Bockus of Philadelphia is not known although he had many connections to New York through his professional career. Rosalynd S. Foss and Henry Leroy Bockus M.D. (1894-1982) were married in Putnam County, New York, on 13 January 1935. ^[4] He had divorced his 1st wife, Elizabeth S. Smith, in about 1934. They had had no children. Leroy and Rosalynd settled in his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and he continued his teaching and research at the University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Medicine in Gastroenterology.

In January 1937, in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, Rosalynd (Foss) and Dr. H.L. Bockus had their only child, daughter Barbara Ann Bockus. On the 1 April 1940 US Census "Henry L. Backus" [sic=Bockus] was recorded as 46 years old, b: Delaware, married to "Rosalynd Backus" [sic], 30, b: New York, living together with their 3-year-old daughter: "Barbara A. Backus", b: Pennsylvania, in the Touraine Apartments, Philadelphia Ward 7, ED 123, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a "Physician". Their household included Mary McKenzie, 38, a "Nurse," born in Scotland. ^[5]

Henry L. Bockus' April 1942 WW II Draft Registration Card stated that he and his wife and daughter were living at 1520 Spruce St., Philadelphia, and that he was privately employed on his own account as "Dr. H.L. Bockus, M.D.". He was 48 years old and noted as 5'7" tall, about 179 lbs., blue eyes, balding, and of light complexion. He had a scar on the 3rd finger of his right hand but no other physical injuries. He was not recalled to active duty due to his age, father-status and work-status. ^[6]

Dr. Bockus was recorded on the April 1950 US Census, the most-recent publicly-available, as "Henry D. Bockus, Sr," age 56, born in Delaware; married to "Rosalind Bockus," 40, born in New York. They were living with their 13-year-old daughter, Barbara Bockus, born in Pennsylvania, and 50-year-old Mary McKenzie, a "Registered Nurse," born in Scotland. Dr. Bockus was a "Physician in Private Practice". The household was enumerated living in their rented apartment in the Touraine Apartments, ED 51-148, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.^[7]

Whether for his medical research and work or family pleasure, Henry L. Bockus traveled frequently between 1935 and the 1960s, at first by steamship, then by commercial airlines. He, his wife Rosalynd and daughter, Barbara Ann Bockus, were recorded on trips to Trinidad, Naples, Italy; Madrid, Spain; Mexico, and Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil between 1950-1956, for example. ^[8] He continued his gastroenterology research and teaching work well into his 70s and saw private patients in Philadelphia.

Henry Leroy Bockus, M.D., passed away at Philadelphia's Graduate Hospital on Saturday, 3 April 1982, at 86 years old of injuries following a vehicular accident when he was hit by a truck on Friday, walking near his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ^[9] He was buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA; Section: Westlawn 216. ^[10]

Rosalynd Sophie (Foss) Bockus, survived her husband's passing for another 17 years. She died at 91 years old on 17 August 1999 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was buried next to her late husband at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA; Section: Westlawn 216. ^[11] Recent information has not been found for their daughter but it's believed that she never married and may still be living (she would be 86 years old in Jan. 2023 - Uncertain).

Sources

1. ↑ "New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W84-8XP : 11 February 2018), Rosalend Foss, 18 Jan 1908; citing Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, reference cn 791 New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 2,023,224.
2. ↑ "New York Marriages, 1686-1980", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F64W-3SF : 21 January 2020), Carl Lutrig Foss, 1907.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7DX-RG7 : accessed 15 January 2023), Rosalyne Foss in household of Louis Foss, Bronx (Districts 1-250), Bronx, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 202, sheet 3B, line 80, family 60, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1469; FHL microfilm 2,341,204.
4. ↑ "New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ9J-NXP : 9 March 2021), Rosalynd S Foss in entry for Henry L Bockus, 13 Jan 1935, Putnam, New York, United States; citing ref. ID , county clerk offices from various counties, New York; FHL microfilm 930,515.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQJ7-LC4 : 28 July 2019), Henry L Backus, Ward 7, Philadelphia, Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 51-125, sheet 67A, line 14, family 5, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3691.
6. ↑ U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 for Henry Leroy Backus on Ancestrylibrary.com. On A. Lamborn-Baker-Palmer Family Tree.
7. ↑ 1950 US Census on FamilySearch
8. ↑ See passenger lists at Sources for Barbara Annual Bockus on FamilySearch
9. ↑ NY Times, 7 April 1982: Dr. Henry Bockus, 86; Led in a Medical Field brief article
10. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #47278555 Dr Henry Leroy Bockus
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #60758073 Rosalynd F. Bockus

See Also:

• Details for Rosalynd Sophie Foss on FamilySearch; cites 12 sources