Marian Boedeker

Marian Boedeker, age 92, died Sunday, July 14, 2019 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Marcia and Bruce Timm in Sheboygan, Wisconsin surrounded by her family. The day before she died, she celebrated her 92nd birthday with children and spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All there that day will remember her red-white-and-blue outfit and the sharing of family traditions.

Marian Meta Harder was born July 13, 1927 in the Town of Lyndon, Sheboygan County, the youngest child of Meta (Sass) and William Harder. She lived in Glenbeulah in her early childhood and later moved to Sheboygan with her mother and sister Hazel following her mother's second marriage to her stepdad Hubert Gerber. She graduated from Central High School with the Class of 1945.

Marian was a proficient flautist and clarinetist and a member of Sheboygan's Municipal Band. It was there that she met a handsome trumpet player recently returned from WWII service named Frederick Boedeker. With music in common, they courted during the post-war years and married on November 19, 1949 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Sheboygan. Their early married years would take them to Milwaukee, but they eventually returned to life on Sheboygan's southside for the next 45 years.

Marian's early married life was as a housewife and mother raising her daughters Barbara and Marcia. She worked with the Sheboygan Heart Fund in the 1960's and was a steadfast volunteer for the Bethesda Thrift Store for decades. She enjoyed the friendship of many neighbors, friends and relatives with whom she visited and stayed in touch. She had beautiful handwriting which she used to copy recipes, record important family events and send cards and letters. In retirement, she and Fred enjoyed travel to Florida, Hawaii and other warm places. They worked together at Road America for the fun of it and they were not averse to visiting reservation casinos in their spare time. Her husband Fred died in 2002 and she later met Fred Voechting at the St. Clair apartments where they both resided and together they enjoyed many trips to Randall's Frozen Custard.

Marian is survived by her two daughters and sons-in-law Barb and Dave Thieme and Marcia and Bruce Timm all of Sheboygan. Seven grandchildren: Jennifer (Chris) Mann of Grafton, Jill (Jeremy) Hirschmann and Julie Cagle both of Sheboygan, Chad (Heather) Hahn of Plymouth, Lance (Melissa) Hahn of Sheboygan, Michael (Stephanie) Timm of Oostburg and Katy Timm (friend Steve Rice) of Toledo, Ohio. Marian was great-grandma to nine children: Sarah, August and Alyssa Mann, Madison Hirschmann, Justin Cagle, Charlotte and Evelyn Hahn and Brenna and Eleyna Hahn. She was the much-loved aunt of Donna Shogren, Steve and Chuck Harder, Kris Reay, Kathy Krause and Ruth Ann, Tom, John and Lynn Hutchinson and grand-niece Cindy Kuhn. Old friends are the best and Carol Buschmann, Gilda Becker and Vic Pautz stayed friends until the end.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her in-laws Albert and Ruth (Sieker) Boedeker. Also by her sisters, brother and spouses: Helen (Andy) Goodacre, Harold (Ruth) Harder and Hazel (Fred) Krause and sister-in-law and husband Franny (Tom) Hutchinson. Also by two nieces and husbands Jeanne (Willard) Kuhn and Susie (Gene) Hoffman.

Visitation will be held Monday, July 22 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1121 Georgia Avenue, Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Funeral service to follow at 4:00pm officiated by Reverend Alan Kubow. Following the service there will be continued fellowship at the Knights of Columbus, 833 Center Ave. in Sheboygan.

Memorials may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Bethesda Lutheran Communities or donor's choice.

Marian's family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to St. Nicholas Home Health & Hospice program and staff. Julia and others were a great comfort to our family over the past few months.