Obituary of Edith Boehmer

EDITH MAY BOEHMER (nee Preston) 1917 - 2016 It is with great sadness that the family announces that the death of Edith Boehmer occurred at St. Paul's Hospital on Sunday, December 25, 2016. Edith May Boehmer (nee Preston) was born the third of seven children in a log house on the family farm near Rossburn, Manitoba on May 12, 1917. She was raised on a mixed farm operated by her dad, Alfred Preston, and mom, Kate Hiscock. All family members worked hard to run the farm. Edith took her grade 1 - 12 schooling at Kelso, Sask. Edith's intelligence was obvious to her teachers many, many years ago when she was allowed to take grades 2 and 3 together! Edith went to Normal School (college) in Regina and received her Teacher's Certificate with honours, even though she was hospitalized and had surgery during her schooling. Edith taught at Bethany School, then at Whitewood, Sask. for a total of 5 1/2 years. Edith met the love of her life, John Boehmer, while teaching at Bethany. Edith and John married February 6, 1943, while John was completing military training in BC. The newly-weds moved to Victoria, BC, where Edith washed windows on the huge Empress Hotel while John was serving overseas. Edith welcomed their eldest, John Jr., in Port Alberni, BC. Edith and baby John returned to Kelso and Walpole, where they stayed with her parents and his parents awaiting John's return. Edith and John then welcomed nine more children, who were all born in Wawota, Sask. Edith kept very busy raising their children, doing the many duties of a mother and wife during the 40s through the 70s. Her last child, Penny, graduated high school in 1981. Edith loved reading, playing the organ, sewing, knitting, baking, cooking, gardening, doing crosswords, helping with the bookkeeping on their mixed farm and substitute teaching as well. Everything she did was done with such care and detail. She was even a very accomplished seamstress – sewing brides dresses, bridesmaid dresses and many more dresses for special occasions. Edith and John attended Walpole Church where she played the organ. She was a member of the United Church Women (UCW), and shopped and socialized with many friends and family in the local communities. Edith loved spending time with all her grandchildren; holding them close, reading to them, visiting them, sharing her knowledge with them, playing the organ for them and baking with them. She always expressed to her family the importance of education, following a healthy diet and remembering to take their vitamins. Edith is survived by one sister Margaret Clark; brothers and sisters-in-law Flora (Ralph) Burke, Harold (Faith) Boehmer and Luther (Janice) Boehmer; children John (Linda) Boehmer and grandchildren Chris (Christine) Boehmer and Tammy (Scott) Zdunich; Gilda Hamilton and grandchildren Cary (Linda) Hamilton and Paul (Coral) Hamilton; Judy (Jim) Dowler and grandchildren Patrick (Alexis) Dowler, Thomas Dowler and Morgan Dowler; Barry (Karen) Boehmer and grandchildren Robbie (Krissie) Stewart, Charlene (Darcy) Dorey, Dawn (Andrew) Baylis, Shawna (Brian) Heaton, Bradley (Hannah) Boehmer; Son of deceased child Lavana (Hannes) Heel and grandchild Jonathon (Christine) Heel; Jane (Tom) Dietrich and grandchildren Angela (Lance) Tomshak, Mia Fae Preston (known as Candice Dietrich), Kristen Dietrich (Walter) Ensz, Nick (Cherry) Dietrich, Andrew Dietrich and girlfriend Evelyn Ma; Phil (Marnie) Boehmer and grandchildren Dustin Boehmer, Brady Boehmer and Maddie (Cale) Fentiman; Edie Boheme-Kent (Andy) Kent and grandchildren Christian Kent and Aiden Kent; Penny Longworth and grandchildren Libbi and Joe, Patrick Longworth (father of Libbi and Joe) as well as twenty-eight great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband John Gordon Boehmer; children Edward Eugene Boehmer and Lavana (Ellen) Heel; sons-in-law John Hamilton and Hannes Heel; siblings Art Preston, Robert Preston, Albert Preston, Tom Preston and Agnes Smith and sister-in-law Ariel Preston; brother-in-law Harold Clark; brother and sisters-in-law Karl (Dottie) Boehmer; Dorothy (George) Carroll; Fred Boehmer; Mary (Earl) Percy; Trudy (Ewald) Baumgartner.