Dr. Thaddeus Thomas Bozek

BOZEK, STEFANOWICZ, HAMILTON, BALADI, MUSTION, ANTON

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 5/22/2009 at 15:29:22

Dr. Thaddeus Thomas Bozek, 87, died on the morning of November 12th after a lengthy illness.

Visitation for Dr. Bozek will be held from 4pm to 7pm, Saturday, November 15th at Lensing’s Oak Hill, 210 Holiday Road, Coralville. Family Graveside Services with military honors will be Sunday at the Lone Tree Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Mercy Hospital Foundation in Iowa City.

Dr. Bozek was born in Easthampton, Massachusetts on October 22, 1921 to Mitchel A. and Josephine (ne Stefanowicz) Bozek. He grew up in Easthampton graduating from high school in 1939 also attending the nearby Williston Academy. After being advised by a family friend to go to the University of Iowa, he went on to take pre-med courses there from 1940 to 1942. While attending the university, he met Florence E. Hamilton and they were married in her hometown of Lone Tree on June 24, 1944.

He attended post-graduate school at Creighton University in Omaha, NE where he received his MD degree in 1946. The day that he graduated, he entered the Navy commissioned as a Lieutenant J.G. Dr. Bozek then spent a year at Seattle Naval Hospital followed by a 3-month course at the School of Aviation at Pensacola, Florida. Afterwards he served as flight surgeon aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Leyte, in the Mediterranean area until March 1949.

In civilian life, Dr. Bozek first established a medical practice in West Branch, Iowa and subsequently joined Drs. Paulus and Goddard in practice at Medical Associates on Dubuque Street in Iowa City. Professionally, he was a staff member at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City for fifty years. He additionally practiced at Medical Associates on East Jefferson Street. Dr. Bozek eventually opened private family practice offices in Iowa City on East Market Street as well as in West Branch, Iowa.

He was a member and past president of the Johnson County Medical Society and a member of the Iowa Medical Society. He became a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1952 and later certified as a diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice in 1972. Dr. Bozek also did flight physicals as a member of the Federal Aviation Administration for Flight Physicians. In addition to his private practices he served as the Johnson County Medical Examiner for 33 years until his retirement in December 2000. He was widely known as a devoted and hard worker, dedicated to his profession, and great with patients. He enjoyed his work and went out of his way to help people in distress.

For over thirty years, he and Florence enjoyed going to their cabin in Minnesota on Spirit Lake. His hobbies included fishing, boating, carpentry, and working outdoors.

Dr. Bozek was proceeded in death by his son, Stephen; two sisters, Winifred (Wanda) and Stella; and his parents. He is survived by his wife, Florence, at home; his son, Gregory (Sue) Bozek of Coralville, IA; two daughters, Madelyn (Dr. Kamel) Baladi of Los Angeles, California, and Mary (Alan) Mustion of Yukon, Oklahoma; his older brother, Stanley Bozek, of Coral Gables, Florida; two older sisters, Veronica Bozek and Mary Bozek, of Easthampton, Massachusetts; younger sister, Tash Anton, of New York City, NY; and four grandchildren: Heather, Jamie, and Stephani (Bozek) from Coralville and Jason Baladi of Los Angeles, California.