Mel Bogus, 95, remembered as larger than life figure who raced cars, contributed to Conroe and League City

In Mel Bogus’ 95 years, he did life big. 

On top of an outgoing nature and large personality, he was driven to give 100 percent in everything he did. He participated in Conroe and League City local government, was a veteran, an athlete early in life, a car enthusiast and an amateur race-car driver, a leader in his faith and as a husband, father and grandfather.

Following his death on Jan. 30 in Montgomery, Bogus is being remembered for going all in on the things he was passionate about including the revitalization of downtown Conroe in the early 2000s.

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Mel Bogus Day in Conroe

Bogus served as chair of the city’s Downtown Revitalization Committee in the early 2000s. 

“Like anything else Mel did, he was going to give this 100 percent,” said his wife, Sherry. She and her son, Brad, believe the efforts to liven up downtown Conroe were among Bogus’ greatest achievements.

Prior to its renaissance, the downtown square mostly contained offices pertaining to courthouse business. Those shuttered after 5 p.m. leaving little to no night life in downtown.

Citizens banded together to bring more shops and restaurants to the area and today the cultural district is home to two theaters, an art gallery, restaurants and shops. 

When Bogus left Conroe to move to League City, then Conroe mayor Webb Melder proclaimed Feb. 10, 2006, Mel Bogus Day in the city. 

Driven early in life 

Bogus was born Dec. 29, 1929, in St. Louis. 

Sherry said his mother died when he was 16 months old and he lost his father in a car accident at age 12. He mostly lived with an aunt and uncle in Florida but was also passed around among relatives. While his aunt and uncle loved and cared for him, he still felt out of place, she said. 

“He was always trying to prove something. That could have gone either way, he could have been a hellion or he could be driven. It really was what made him,” she said. He was brought up in a family of entrepreneurs and also caught the bug. 

He attended Roosevelt Military Academy for high school, graduating in 1947. He was an accomplished marksman there and that was one of his favorite stories to tell, his son Brad said. After high school he served in the National Guard and was drafted into the Korean War. 

A need for speed 

Sherry said Mel had always liked cars and his friend, Bob Spooner, got him into racing them. Spooner was an amateur driver, and Bogus couldn’t help but join in. 

He raced Datsuns and Triumphs and was a member of the Sports Car Club of America. He also had an affinity for Porsches and Rolls Royce vehicles. 

For a time he was a Yenko Camaro salesman and Brad said he enjoyed talking about those models. He once showed his demo Yenko Camaro at a car show. It was titled the “Bogus Yenko Demo.” It puzzles some car enthusiasts not realizing that was Mel’s last name. 

He raced cars until 1973 but remained a member of the sport car club the rest of his life. 

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His time in Conroe 

He and Sherry met in Houston in the 1970s and they married in 1977. They moved to Conroe to become a part of her father’s photo development business. He also sold cars and managed sales teams at various car dealers in Conroe and Houston, including San Jacinto Motors and Lone Star Ford.

The car business got him involved in the local Chamber which brought him to the redevelopment of downtown. On the committee, he also worked with Conroe native Susie Moore Pokorski. 

“When we were on the Downtown Revitalization Committee together, Mel was a pleasure to work with, always dedicated and enthusiastic about downtown Conroe,” she said. “He brought valuable experience to our discussions, knowledge about state regulations and was always conscientious about keeping us legal, ethical and efficient. Mel was good natured, and just an all-around jolly good guy.”

Sherry’s job brought them to League City where he served on the city council until 2016 when they moved to Montgomery. 

Challenging all obstacles 

Bogus was a life-long member of the Jewish faith. He was president of his congregation at Temple Beth Tikvah in Clear Lake. When he was 83, he had the chance to travel to Israel with his sons, Brad and Brian, and their wives. 

By then Bogus had knee issues and walked with the use of a cane. 

“There was one day in Jerusalem, we were going to walk up and across the old city’s fortress walls. He didn’t think he would be able to do it but last minute, he’s like, ‘I’m going. I’m doing it,'” Brad said. “He went up and down and across like you wouldn’t believe. If he wanted something he was going to push through any adversity to do it. That was a special moment and speaks more to that drive of his in a different way.” 

Bogus is survived by his wife, Sherry, five sons and eight grandchildren. 

A celebration of his life will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday at The Palm in Woodforest, 251 Central Pine Street in Montgomery’s Woodforest neighborhood. 

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