Father Eugene Bova

The Reverend Eugene R. Bova, 84, passed away on July 26, 2016, in Aurora, Colorado. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 10, at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck, with the Most Reverend David D. Kagan, Bishop of Bismarck, officiating. The priests of the Diocese of Bismarck will concelebrate. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bismarck. Visitation will be Tuesday, August 9, from 6:00 – 9:00 with a vigil service at 7:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to Mass. The Reverend Eugene Bova was born March 19, 1932, in Flushing, New York, the son of Joseph and Irma (Craig) Bova. He attended St. John’s University in Brooklyn, New York from 1949 – 1951 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona, Minnesota in 1953. He was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Bismarck in 1954 and continued his studies at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bismarck at St. James Pro-Cathedral, Brooklyn, New York, on June 1, 1957, by the Most Reverend John Boardman. His first assignment in the Diocese of Bismarck was assistant pastor of the Church of St. Mary in New England until June 23, 1960. For the next year, he served as assistant pastor at the Church of Christ the King in Mandan. In June of 1961, he became a part-time assistant at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck and served there until September, 1962. He also began serving as part-time chaplain at the State Training School, now known as the North Dakota Youth Correctional Center. From 1962 to 1972 he served as administrator of the Church of St. Martin in Huff. He then became pastor of the Church of St. Vincent in Mott, and served there until 1983. He returned to the Church of St. Mary in New England as pastor and served there for the next four years. His last assignment began on July 1, 1987, as pastor of the Church of St. Agnes in Kenmare and St. Anthony in Donnybrook. On July 1, 1989, he retired and relocated to Bailey, Colorado. Along with parish duties, he was also involved in various diocesan boards and councils including Personnel Board, P.M.A. Board, Priests’ Council, Diocesan Tribunal and Metropolitan Tribunal. He was also a member of the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Outside of his service to the church, he was an avid Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) Operator. He obtained his FCC license in 1947, (original call sign W2WPD, later changed to W0WPD) and was known globally as “Padre”. Since that time he spent almost 70 years actively participating in the hobby. He was a member of many radio clubs and organizations such as the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), Mountain Amateur Radio Club (MARC), and a founding member of the Park County Radio Club (PCRC). He was also fascinated by weather, its changing patterns and the need for tracking and reporting it to the National Weather Service. He belonged to a group called the “weather netters” and would check and report daily weather conditions via Ham Radio. Additionally, Ham Radio was a vehicle for community service for him. He was dedicated to donating his time to use Ham Radio to help those affected by natural disasters get communications out to friends and family when traditional means were unavailable. At the same time he was a civilian member of a team of Ham Radio operators who were licensed to help facilitate communications with fire and rescue teams when those teams were out in Colorado’s mountainous terrain and needed help. During his career as a Ham Radio enthusiast, he gave back to the hobby to help it continue to grow. He established a Volunteer Examiner team and coordinated with the FCC to hold regular testing sessions. These sessions offered the ability for existing Ham Radio operators to upgrade their current license and earn additional operating privileges from the FCC and offered non-Hams a chance to earn a new FCC operating license. The Reverend Eugene Bova is survived by his brother Joseph F. Bova, Blue Bell, PA, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Joseph and Irma. Memorials may be given to the Diocese of Bismarck – Priest Benefit Association.