Willena A. Boehm, 81, Ottawa, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012, at Ottawa Retirement Village.
She was born May 21, 1930, in Colony, the daughter of W.W. “Bill” and Frances Anona (Yates) Simpson.
She grew up in Colony and attended Colony schools and Star Grade School in Anderson County.
On Dec. 24, 1945, Willena married Ray L. Holloway. They lived in Iola and Carlyle. He died in October 1971.
She married Ray Boehm in Miami, Okla., on May 29, 1981. They lived in Olathe prior to moving to Pomona in 1987 and Ottawa in 2007.
She worked for Kress Five and Dime, Peter Pan Ice Cream & Short Orders and Singer IGA, all in Iola.
She did self-employed wallpapering, worked for Zarda Ice Cream, and West Lake Hardware, all in Olathe, and as a sales associate for Walmart in Olathe and Ottawa for 15 years, retiring in 1995.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ottawa.
Mr. Boehm survives, as do four daughters, Willena Tressler and her husband, Grayden, Yates Center, Wanona Masters and her husband, George, Burlingame, Connie Freshour and her husband, Ralph, Le Roy, and Melody Holloway and her friend, Gary Lang, Iola; a brother, Forrest Simpson and his wife, Darlene, Garden City; seven grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ray Holloway; two brothers, W.R. “Billy” Simpson and Karl Simpson; a son-in-law, George “Tom” Pearce; and grandsons Mike Freshour and Jason Levi Beggs.
Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ottawa. Burial will follow at Colony Cemetery. Family will meet with friends following the service at Colony City Hall at 1 p.m.
She will lie in state at the Dengel & Son Mortuary in Ottawa today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and after 1 p.m. Sunday. A Rosary will be said at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, followed by visitation with family and friends at 6.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Alzheimer’s Association, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, KS 66067.
Online condolences may be sent to [email protected].
