Former Cedar Rapids mayor dies

CEDAR RAPIDS - The city now has lost three former mayors in less than three years.

Frank A. Bosh, 88, who served as the city's mayor in 1968 and part of 1969, died in his sleep on Jan. 22 in Prescott, Ariz., his family reports.

Bosh's mayoral successor and Cedar Rapids' longest serving mayor, Don Canney, died in March 2011 at age 80, while Bosh's predecessor, Robert M.L. Johnson, died in April 2009 at age 88.

Bosh was born in LaGrange, Ill., in 1923 and came to Cedar Rapids in 1940 to attend Coe College. He graduated from Coe College in 1947 after serving in the Army during World War II.

Bosh served as a City Council member and public safety commissioner from 1962 through 1967 and then was elected mayor and served in the capacity in 1968 and part of 1969. He left office in 1969 and moved to Arizona, hoping the dry climate would relieve his rheumatoid arthritis, he said during an interview with The Gazette in 2002.

Wayne Murdock, who was the city's public works director during Bosh's time at Cedar Rapids City Hall and then later served as the city's street commissioner and a City Council member, on Friday said Bosh was "very personable" and "was good for Cedar Rapids." Bosh came back to Cedar Rapids from time to time for an annual get-together of former city commissioners and other city officials, Murdock said.