Obituary

Katharine Magdalene "Kay" (Andreas) Boehr, 98

April 13, 1918 ~ June 6, 2016

Kay was born on April 13, 1918 in Beatrice, Nebraska, the daughter of John Paul and Magdalene (Hirschler) Andreas. She attended country school and a Bible school near Beatrice, NE. She rode her horse Flossy, carrying food and water for the horse, and sometimes racing with the other children.

The Beatrice Mennonite churches worked with Russian refugees in the 1920s. In 4th grade she switched country schools so she could help a little boy who spoke Russian and German, but no English. Kay spoke German and English fluently.

The Holy Spirit brought Kay to faith in Jesus Christ our Savior through hearing the gospel proclaimed at church, at home and through her reading of God's Word. She was baptized and maintained her membership at Beatrice Mennonite Church.

After high school she worked one summer in an inner city mission in Chicago.

She attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas where she met Melvin Boehr. She earned her RN and then B.S. in nursing from Bethel College.

Kay and Melvin were married May 30, 1946. She and Melvin spent a honeymoon summer doing mission work with migrants in Arkansas. Melvin and Kay were blessed with four children: Connie, Sharon, Kenneth, and Donna.

In the summer of 1949 she, Melvin, and their 2-year- old went to Montana to do mission work with the Cheyenne Indians.

While her children were growing up she often worked nights.

In the 1950’s, Melvin and Kay moved to a farm near Beatrice, where Melvin farmed and taught. By 1965, Melvin had earned his doctorate in education and the family moved to Blair where he taught at Dana College.

After Melvin’s death in 1979, Kay became active with many
community and church groups.

She took overseas trips to attend Mennonite conferences, visit relatives, and even visited nursing mission stations in India, where she and her cousin with a few graduate nurses met Mother Teresa in Calcutta.

In 2009, Kay moved to Good Shepherd Lutheran Community, where she has resided since.

Katharine “Kay” Magdalene (Andreas) Boehr, age 98 of Blair, Nebraska died June 6, 2016 at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair.

Left with memories are children Connie (Steve) Buller of Blair, Sharon (Mike) Navarrette of Omaha, Ken (Kay) Boehr of Kansas City, Missouri, Donna (Rich) Walker of Herman; five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and many relatives.

Surviving siblings are Paul (Esther) Andreas of Illinois, Ed (Betty) Andreas of Overland Park, Kansas, Elizabeth (Leon) Decker of Missouri, sister-in- law Lois Andreas of Indiana, and sister-in- law Rachel Hiebner of Henderson, Nebraska.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers John and William Andreas, and many other friends and family.

Visitation was Thursday June 9 from 6 to 8 PM at Campbell Aman Funeral Home.

A later graveside service will be held 10:30 AM Saturday, July 16 at First Mennonite Cemetery, Beatrice, Nebraska. Memorials may be directed to Country Bible Church and the Mennonite Disaster Services.

Funeral Service 10:30 am Friday, June 10, 2016 Country Bible Church, Blair, Nebraska. Pastor Glen Hudson conducted the service, and offered words of comfort. Sue Rogers played the piano, and led the congregation in singing “Amazing Grace”; “My God and I”; “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and “How Great Thou Art”. The one song Kay wanted at her funeral was "My God and I", which she remembered singing in choir at Bethel College. Her daughters Sharon and Donna sang "Amazing Grace" and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" at her deathbed--her son-in-law Mike noticed that while they were singing, and reading John 1 ("In the beginning was the Word..") her eyes were closed, she didn't have hearing aids in--but her vital signs went up, even her blood pressure. When they were done singing and reading, the numbers went away, and Mom passed away peacefully.

Pallbearers: Jon Buller, Andrew Buller, Mike Navarrette, Jon DeMonte, Townes Hagberg, Tom Jarvis

Psalm 121 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”

Campbell Aman Funeral Home, Blair, Nebraska in service to the family.