John H. Bos

1936 - 2024

John H. Bos

Greenfield, MA - John H. Bos, 88, (Greenfield) left us, peacefully, on Dec. 11, 2024. No doubt, he is off now to "Connecting the Stars." John was an inspiring creative spirit, a lover of community and an accomplished professional and personal writer. Beloved by a countless many, John was someone who could, and would talk to anyone who entered his energy field. Born February 12, 1936 in Tonawanda, NY, to John and Jenny Bos, he was a graduate of Carnegie Tech (Carnegie Mellon University) with a B.A. in Drama from the School of Fine Arts.

John had a long professional career in the arts beginning with technical support in summer tent theaters, then moved on to major theaters, including the Pittsburgh Playhouse, Baltimore's Center Stage, Washington DC's Arena Stage, and Theatre of the Living Arts in Philadelphia. In the late 1970's, he was appointed by Kitty Carlisle Hart, Chairperson of the New York State Council on the Arts, as Deputy Director of the agency's performing arts division. In that role, John oversaw a $15 million budget for grants to dance, music, theater, and presenting organizations.

In the early 80's John served as Director of Performance Programs for National Public Radio where he earned a Peabody Award for "meritorious service in broadcasting." Following his NPR tenure, he served as the host for Arts America, a weekly cultural television program produced by the United States Information Agency and distributed worldwide.

In the late 1990's, John took up residence in Shelburne Falls, where he lived for the next 20 years, providing arts consulting, and delving into community life. John was involved with the revival of Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls, one of numerous locations in which he hosted musical performances under the umbrella of Rural Renaissance. He was a founding board member of the Four Rivers Charter School Educational Foundation in Greenfield, MA, and former Chair of the Shelburne Falls Cultural Council. In 2014 John was given the Marvin J. Shippee Community Service award by the Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association.

In 2007 John and dear friend, Mary Schreiber, co-founded the Eventide Singers, a gathering of singers whose primary mission is to sing in small ensembles at the bedsides of the critically and terminally ill, www.eventidesingers.com. In 2012 he presented a TedX talk about the growth of hospice choirs in the US.

During the last two decades of his life, John turned to writing as a form of self-expression. Always a wordsmith, he enjoyed poking fun at words and playfully sending puns and bad jokes to his friends and family - sometimes lovingly appreciated, sometimes not. Writing initially in Spirit of the Written Word writing group at Cancer Connection during his first bout with cancer, he went on to enroll at the Iowa Writers Workshop Summer Program for two summers. This led to his writing a bi-weekly column for The Greenfield Recorder.

In his column, "Connecting the Dots," he was a vocal advocate around climate change and offered numerous rants regarding contemporary political life; he also contributed to other periodicals, such as Green Energy Times and CitizenTruth.org. John was an early supporter of Braver Angels to foster conversation among people with different perspectives on social and political life. Along the way, John shared with his readers about his declining health and gratitude for the gift of family, friends, and especially his long term, local men's groups. He was a member of Cancer Connection's Men's Group since 2002. His column touched the hearts and lives of many in the Recorder's readership.

In addition to his role as co-founder of the Eventide Singers hospice choir, John was the project director and co-editor of the publication Words to Live By, a book which he and three fellow cancer survivors created as a fundraiser for the non-profit support agency Cancer Connection. The book features poems and prose pieces by 50 local and nationally acclaimed writers; each entry paired with a photograph. Authors include Wendell Berry, Lucille Clifton, Jane Kenyon, Ted Kooser and many others.

John was introspective while also attentive to other's thoughts and feelings and was loved for his ability to openly explore and respond to both realms. The family would like to thank Helping Hands Caregivers and Pioneer Valley Hospice & Palliative Care for their tender care and attention to John's every need.

John was predeceased by his parents, a brother Charles, a niece Margot Stambler, and brother-in-law, Terry F. Ganshaw. He is survived by his son, Christopher (Johanna) Bos and grandsons, Trager and Nico Bos of NYC; brother Peter G. Bos (Sissel Cooper) of Naples, FL; sister Winifred J. Ganshaw of Iowa City, IA; sister-in-law Marilyn Bos of Leesburg, VA; many beloved nieces and nephews, and former wife, Sally Lindsay, NYC, with whom he remained a life-long friend.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Eventide Singers, 78 Leyden Road, Greenfield, MA 01301, Cancer Connection, 41 Locust Street (Rt 9), Northampton, MA 01060, Pioneer Valley Hospice, 329 Conway St, Greenfield, MA 01301, or any cause to preserve the environment. Services will be held at a later date to be announced.