BETTY R. BOSH, 1923-2010: Toledoan formerly owned campground

10/25/2010

Betty R. Bosh, 87, of West Toledo, who formerly owned and operated a 40-acre campground in Hillsdale County with her husband, died Saturday at Swan Pointe Care Center in Maumee.

She died of complications from dementia about a decade after she was diagnosed with symptoms, her son, Tom, said.

Mrs. Bosh and her late husband, George, bought Reese Lake Campground, three miles west of Lenawee County in Hillsdale County's Hudson, with partners in 1970.

They expanded the swimming area of an 8-acre lake and created a petting zoo there.

The family had camped there often, and Mr. Bosh had long dreamed of developing a family-friendly outdoor place, his son said. The family had towed their own camper across 38 states before buying the campground.

The family stayed in a travel trailer on the property when they weren't commuting about an hour from their West Toledo home during the warmer months.

Mrs. Bosh especially enjoyed spending time with the children who visited with their families, and decided the campground needed a new playground.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Bosh had been raised on farms, and Mrs. Bosh enjoyed introducing ducklings, lambs, ponies, and other livestock onto the property. Soon, pony rides were offered for children, and beef was available for sale.

"She liked the business," her son said. "She wanted it to be family-oriented. My dad said, 'We could sell beer and cigarettes and make a couple bucks that way,' and she said, 'No, we're not selling beer and cigarettes.'•"

The family's financial partnerships dissolved not long after the purchase, and the recession that set in during the late 1970s took its toll on the campground and Mr. Bosh. It was difficult to find small loans to keep the business afloat, and the family believes the stress worsened Mr. Bosh's existing hypertension.

After he died in 1977, Mrs. Bosh and her children tried to keep the place going. They sold the campground in 1983.

Mrs. Bosh then worked in child care for years.

She is survived by her sons, Phillip and Tom; daughters, Shannon Bosh and Leslie Hemrick; brother, Dan Nutter, and seven grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Newcomer Funeral Home, where services will be at

10:30 a.m. Thursday.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Alzheimer's Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter.

Contact Bridget Tharp at:

btharp@theblade.com

or 419-724-6086.