Bobbie Van Bogaert

Bobbie Van Bogaert, born Roberta Ann Van Bogaert, passed away on October 9, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. 

Bobbie was born in Los Angeles, CA on January 7, 1943 to parents Henry Van Bogaert and Gertrude (Smith) Van Bogaert. She was an older sister to brother Daniel and sister Christine.

Bobbie married Michael Donald Korth (Don) in 1959 and together they had six children during their nine year marriage: Patrick, Lori, Thomas (Tom), Suzan (Suzie), Donald Jr (Donnie) and Daniel. Tragically they would lose two of their children, Lori & Donnie, at 3 years old and 5 months old respectively

Upon their divorce in 1968, Don moved to Las Vegas and Bobbie remained in Venice, CA to raise her four surviving children. In a rare accomplishment for the times, Bobbie would become a pioneer of single parenthood, working multiple jobs and eventually going to school to become an inhalation therapist, a career she loved and would engage in for over 30 years, working at Santa Monica Hospital, St John’s Hospital and UCLA Medical Center.

Bobbie loved doing things with her young children, making many trips to the beach, Disneyland and neighborhood parks for picnics. She also liked camping and took her kids on many memorable camping trips to the local mountains and beaches, Yosemite National Park and as far away as Stanley Park in Vancouver, Canada.

In 1980, Bobbie moved to the San Diego area where she worked at UCSD Medical Center, ICU Neo-natal Unit. While living in North San Diego county, Bobbie became very involved with her church. During that time she would engage in humanitarian efforts with other church members, providing clothing and provisions to needy families in Tijuana, Mexico. She was especially fond of young children and the kids in Tijuana held a special place in her heart. 

Bobbie was a genealogy buff, with a knack for discovering the details of numerous relatives around the U.S. and Europe, and tracing her family tree back to the 1600s.

In 2013, a few years after her retirement from the medical field, Bobbie would move from Oceanside, CA to Chicago, Illinois, birthplace of both of her parents. There, she would continue her love for family history, tracking down ancestral homes and businesses in and around the Chicago area. 

Bobbie was a talented and prolific artist. She loved drawing and painting with water colors and acrylics and developed a unique style that combined characteristics of some of her favorite artists. Her works were shared over the years with her siblings, children, grandchildren and friends, always bringing smiles to the faces of the recipients.

One of Bobbie’s favorite charities was Cardz for Kidz, an organization in Chicago dedicated to delivering hand made greeting cards to sick children. Bobbie enjoyed applying her artistic abilities to this worthy cause.

Bobbie also became very active in her new church in Chicago, making many new, dear friends.

In 2017, Bobbie would again be struck by tragedy, losing her son Daniel to cancer, just a few months shy of his 50th birthday.

Bobbie is survived by her three children, Patrick and his wife Rebecca Hoag-Korth, Tom Korth and his wife Kristina Korth and Suzie Korth and her wife Teresa Stegman, grandchildren Kevin Korth, Kelly Korth and his wife Jaclyn Korth, Keenan Korth, Zane Korth, Andrea Thomas and her Husband Alex Thomas, Alec Bennett, great grandchildren Brody Thomas, Dakota Thomas, Madelyn Korth and Daniel Korth, as well as her two siblings Dan Van Bogaert and wife Karen & Christine (Van Bogaert) Straessle and husband Al and their families. She will be greatly missed by all of them.

A Celebration of Life will be held for her on November 29, 2024 in San Diego, CA. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Cardz for Kidz in Bobbie’s name (CardzforKidz.org).