Johannes Jacobus "John" BOS

BOS, Johannes 'John' Jacobus
Born on February 21, 1925 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He was married to the late Julia Blaaser Bos for over fifty three years. Julia Bos passed away in 2006. Both John and Julia were Holocaust survivors. He is survived by his companion Jeanne Sanders.

John was the son of the late Adrianus and Katharina Hendrjn DeRoode. John's mother was Jewish but his father was Christian.

When Germany took over the Netherlands in 1942, John and his family were forced into hiding in separate locations where they remained until the Netherlands was finally liberated on May 8, 1945. They were hidden by the Resistance in separate locations and there was not contact during this time. At one point, John was captured by the Germans and pressed into forced labor to place large obstacles around possible Allied sea invasion points. Resistance members helped him escape.

It was not until after liberation that John and his parents found one another and were reunited. All of John's maternal relatives perished during the Holocaust. John survived the very grim time of 'The Hunger Winter' in Holland. it was a time when desperate people made flour out of tulip bulbs in an attempt to make bread and assuage their hunger. Unfortunately, the tulip flour was neither filling nor nutritious.

John and Julia came to the United States in 1953 and were married in Reno on February 26, 1953. They settled in Sacramento where they owned a succession of successful beauty salons. Both became naturalized United States citizens and prospered in their adopted country.

John was very active in the Sacramento Jewish Community and a founding member of Congregation Beth Shalom in Carmichael. He served in various capacities such as President of the Men's Club and Congregation Treasurer. He established a choir memorial fund to honor his mother, Katharina DeRoode Bos. Music had always been an integral part of John and Julia's life providing them much joy and consolation.

John was a loyal friend and performed many kind acts on behalf of friends and other new immigrants. He was characterized as a most sociable man and great conversationalist. Generosity of soul and spirit was his trademark along with his always cheerful and optimistic outlook on life in spite of the hardships he had experienced.

Please join us for a celebration of John's life at 11 AM on Friday, April 5 th at Congregation Beth Shalom 4746 El Camino Avenue, Carmichael, California 95608. Memorials may be made to the Katrina Bos Music Fund at Congregation Beth Shalom 4746 El Camino Avenue, Carmichael, California 95608