Emma Boehm Recorded Funeral Link: https://youtu.be/Bb1c1i-u--E

Emma Boehm, 96, of McClusky died Friday, February 21, 2025 at the CHI Community Hospital in Turtle Lake, ND.  Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 24, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the St. John's Lutheran Church of McClusky.  Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at the St. Lutheran Church of McClusky from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  Arrangements are with Hertz Funeral Home of McClusky.

Emma Boehm went to be with the Lord on February 21, 2025, at CHI St. Alexius Health Hospital in Turtle Lake. She was surrounded by her loving family who cherished her unconditionally.

Visitation is Sunday, February 23, at St. John's Lutheran Church in McClusky from 4 pm to 7 pm.  Funeral services are Monday, February 24, at St. John's Lutheran Church at 2pm.

Emma was born to August and Eva (Dockter) Gienger on February 23, 1928, in Neudorf, Ukraine in Russia.

Emma's childhood years were spent in Neudorf. She went to school from kindergarten through 7th grade.  At a young age Emma started working in a big vegetable garden and cooked in a kitchen.

The Gienger family were Germans from Russia and traveled through Poland and went by train to Podersdorf, Bavaria, Germany. This is where they made their new home until they came to America.

From age 19 to 23 Emma went to work at a guest house, restaurant, brewery and the Humbermeal family where she did more cooking.

In 1951 Emma prepared for a new adventure, coming to America. Emma and her sister Kathe both applied, and Emma's number was drawn first.  They were sponsored by the Baptist Alliance and Mike Dockter Sr of McClusky, who was a distant relative of August and Eva Gienger.

At the age of 23, on Dec 5th, 1951, Emma left Breman Hoffen for a 10-day voyage to America on an army ship. Finally on Dec 15, 1951, Emma saw the Statue of Liberty in the New York Harbor. Emma made it on the train from New York to Chicago to Minneapolis to Bismarck, ND.

That first winter Emma lived with Adam and Rosemary Dockter.  She helped with lots of new babies, farm chores and did more cooking.

Emma met Eddy Boehm at Brush Lake for an Old Settler Day dance. On Oct 4th, 1953, they were married at St. John Lutheran Church.   They started their life together, living on the family farm north of Pickardville where they raised four sons.

She continued to love her family throughout the years by spoiling them with her cooking and baking.  She also had great gardening skills with five different gardens.  She had an acre of potatoes, an herb garden and three vegetable gardens.  She also enjoyed her fruits and picking berries.

Along with Emma's green thumb came her love for plants and flowers. Her most prized plant was her Christmas cactus.   She also enjoyed singing in the German Choir Group.

Emma's favorite pastime was making over 100 plus quilts for babies, weddings, graduations, anniversaries and any other special occasion. She spent hours quilting with her neighbors and friends in her home and with her church family at St. John's Lutheran Church.  Every stitch was sewed with her love, nimble fingers, a few stories told, memories created and of course some sweet treats!  If you were lucky enough to receive one of her quilts, it may have come with a little poke from a forgotten needle to remember her by.

Over the years Emma taught her boys a few things like how to milk cows, feed the animals, pull weeds in the garden, clean the house, eat everything on your plate, and to never ever lift the strudel or dumpling lid!!!!  If you didn't listen, Emma may have given you the rath of the "kochloffel" known today as the wooden spoon.

As her sons got married, she finally started to get the "daughters" she never had.  She was so excited to finally have her girls!!!!  Now that her girls were here, she was rewarded with 7 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. This filled her heart with much love, someone to spoil and to share cooking and baking skills with.  This is when she became Oma, which is known as grandma in German.

In 1996, Eddy and Emma started traveling to Arizona over the winter. Emma would go anywhere you would take her and that occasional trip to the casino.

Eddy passed in 2001, but Emma remained on the farm enjoying her favorite things.

In 2010 Emma moved into the apartments in McClusky where she joined the Red Hats and the senior center.  She also really enjoyed attending the grand children's and great grand children's activities.  She also remained very active in St. John's Lutheran Church with quilting and LWML.

In December of 2018 she moved into the Sheridan Memorial Home.  Where she continued her love of flowers, gardening and quilting.  She was amongst many friends where they crafted, knitted and played cards and bingo.

Due to medical reasons, in August of 2024 she moved into CHI St. Alexius Health Hospital in Turtle Lake where she continued to share her stories, crafting and playing bingo.

Emma was strong-willed and hardworking and always took the time to visit and share a tasty dessert. Emma was a faithful Christian. The love for her family and friends was always shown with a special smile. To this day a lot of the people in the community know and refer to her as Oma.  She will forever be our beloved Mom and Oma.

Emma is survived by her sons Lee and Rhonda, Myron and Codi, Norman and Lynette, and John and friend Jenna.  Grandchildren Levi and Jess, Eric, Trevor and fiancé Lorena, Emily, Shandel and fiancé Jesse, Shastity and fiancé Matt, and Shaylyn. Great grandchildren Paedyn, Kendall, Willow, Bella, Brogan, Braylon, and Boston. Sisters Lilli and Melvin Wohl, and Eva Heyne. Brother-in-law Elias Vetter.  Plus, many loving nieces and nephews.

Emma was preceded in death by her loving husband Eddy; infant son Leslie; her parents; sisters Kathe and Emanuel Loebs, and Alwine Vetter; brothers August and Alenda, Jacob, Otto and Adam; brother-in-law Marvin Heyne.