Remsen, Iowa
Dorothy Josephine Bohnenkamp, 87, of Remsen, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, at Happy Siesta Care Center after a courageous battle with cancer.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Remsen, with the Rev. William McCarthy officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visitation with family will be 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, with a parish rosary and vigil prayer service at 5 p.m., at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen. Visitation will resume 9:30 a.m. until service time Monday at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent online to www.fischfh.com.
Dorothy was born on Dec. 18, 1930, at home near Struble, Iowa, to Otto and Irene (Henrich) Kallsen. She graduated from high school at Le Mars Central in 1948 and from Westmar College in 1949. She then taught at a Plymouth County rural school for two years.
On June 19, 1950, Dorothy married Richard Bohnenkamp in Struble. They moved to a farm outside of Remsen, where they raised six children and farmed for the next 50 years. In 2003, they retired and moved into Remsen.
Dorothy was a member of Christian Mothers, Catholic Daughters, and St. Mary's Guild. She enjoyed playing pinochle, ballroom dancing, shopping, and bowling. A special memory was when she and Dick won the Don Hoy dance contest. She made countless family gatherings possible due to her hard work in gardening, canning, cooking, baking, and raising chickens. Dorothy was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother; always placing faith and family first in her life.
Grateful for having shared her life include six children, Julie (Dr. Dave) Elson of Sioux Falls, S.D., Jerry (Ann) Bohnenkamp of Remsen, Suzanne (Dr. Rick) Rauschenbach of Sioux Falls, Lori (Phil) Calvert of Lake Lotowana, Mo., Roger (Kay) Bohnenkamp of Remsen, Jim (Susan) Bohnenkamp of Marion, Iowa; 13 grandchildren, Dr. Andrew (Dr. Celine) Elson, Michael (Claire) Elson, Jennifer (Jason) Ruba, Jason (Natalie) Bohnenkamp, Laura Bohnenkamp, Elise (Will) Brown, Dr. Olivia Rauschenbach, Anthony Rauschenbach, Ryan Dolan, Christopher (Bree Ann) Bohnenkamp, Nicole (fiance, John) Bohnenkamp, Rachel and Connor Bohnenkamp; 13 great-grandchildren; her brothers, Vernon (Pat) and Duane (Joan) Kallsen; sisters-in-law, Marjorie (Dave) Henrich, and Jeannette Bohnenkamp; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Richard; her parents; her sister, Helen Kenaley; and brother, Ron Kallsen.
Pallbears will be Jason Bohnenkamp, Christopher Bohnenkamp, Ryan Dolan, Anthony Rauschenbach, Jason Ruba, and Michael Elson.
