JUD BOGARD

1976 - 2022

BOGARD, Jud Age 45, passed away peacefully in his North Hollywood, California home on January 24, 2022.
Jud was born to Roxane and Nicholas Bogard in Boston, MA, on July 8, 1976. He spent most of his first five years in Philadelphia, a city known for brotherly love, independence, and Rocky, all of which could have been foreshadowing for his incredible life.
Growing up in Wellesley, Jud got his first job as a sophomore in high school at Wellesley Video and Photo, finding what would become his passion in life: film and television production. Overcoming the consequences of unsanctioned party-hosting in his parents' home, Jud went on to study film and media arts at Emerson College, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in 2000. He credited his four years at Emerson with discovering himself both personally and professionally.
A senior-year internship on the DreamWorks show "Freaks and Geeks" gave him a taste of California life and he was hooked. He moved to Los Angeles after college and remained there ever since, working in reality television, savoring California, and enjoying dear friends. Jud kept his home ties strong, staying connected to old friends from Boston, never missing a Red Sox or Patriots game, and sharing his dry humor in a faint Boston accent. He had a special place in his heart for his beloved dog Snowball, who gave him years of love and enjoyment. In a close second to Snowball, Jud enjoyed the company of many caring housemates over the years who supported his daily life, for which his family is forever grateful.
Jud's early years in Philadelphia put him fortuitously close to world-class medical care and research. At age three, Jud was diagnosed with the rare disease fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a debilitating condition by which he refused to be defined. In 1989, when he was thirteen years old, his family organized the Jud Bogard Golf Tournament in his honor. Over the next decade, proceeds from this annual event funded the start-up of an FOP laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania, where groundbreaking research continues today.
Jud's indomitable spirit, gratitude for life, warm smile, and quick wit touched more people than we can know or count. It didn't take much more than a hello to recognize a great and special soul. In the words of his mother, he taught us all to live, to give, and to stay close. He overcame fear nearly every day. "Quit" was not in his vocabulary. We didn't think he would survive past youth, but he lived to have grey hairs peeking out from under his helmet. His life was of great courage, independence, and might, with a little irreverence and more-than-occasional rule breaking to keep things interesting. Standing only about five feet tall, Jud towered above us all.
Jud is survived by his mother Roxane, father Nicholas; siblings Clint and Betsy; and many loving in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and longtime friends.
Memorials will be held in Los Angeles in February and Boston in April. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the International FOP Association (www.ifopa.org/donate) a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to finding a cure for FOP and bringing comfort and relief to families living with the disease.

View the online memorial for Jud BOGARD