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part of www.sainthenryparish.org
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Rudolph
Bohlman
1918 -
2006
Rudolph Edward Bohlman passed away
in his home
He is survived by three sons,
Conrad, Roger "Rocky" (Bonnie), and Charles, all of Watertown; three
daughters, Carol (Joel) Edwards of Watertown, Monica (Steve Smith) Bohlman of
Phoenix, Ariz., and Debora (James "Max" Groehler) Bohlman of
Watertown; 14 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
He is further survived by a sister,
Dorothy Schlueter of Beaver Dam, and brothers, Paul (Dorothy) Bohlman of
Palentine, Ill., and Harvey (Ruth) Bohlman of Surprise, Ariz.
Rudy was born to Frank and Mary
(Heist) Bohlmann on
Rudy was born just west of
Pipersville and spent his boyhood years peddling potatoes from his father's
farm and fish that he had caught himself. He also hunted gophers and woodchucks
for a bounty paid by the county. In this way he earned money to help his
parents through the Great Depression. As a teenager he worked as a hired hand
on several area farms. Eventually he moved to Milwaukee and then to Chicago for
work until World War II started.
He spent four years in the U.S.
Navy serving as a radio operator at various duty stations and aboard the
USS Roxanne (AKA-37) (see below).
He returned to take Margaret Fendt
as his bride on
To Rudy and Marge, two things were
important. There was God and there was family and that was abundantly clear
throughout their lives together.
In time he would be owner/operator
of a service station, a crane operator for a bridge builder, a mechanic for the
In his spare time he enjoyed
bowling, golf and repairing bikes for St. Vincent de Paul. What those close to
him will remember him best for is someone who enjoyed inventing and was really
good at "fixing stuff." Rudy had an uncanny ability to build things
and make things work using common items found in his basement. His family and
the entire neighborhood remembers the two large fans (pre A/C) that he built
using washing machine motors that sounded like an airplane ready for takeoff
and could cool a house in 2 minutes flat. They also remember the heavy duty air
compressor he built from scratch that he used to fill bicycle and car tires in
his garage. He was a man in need of frequent reminders that people in their 80s
should not be climbing on the root of their house to "fix things."
Rudy will be remembered fondly for a
rich sense of humor and a willingness to help any deserving person who had the
good fortune to be a part of his life.
Funeral services will be held on
Tuesday at
Burial will be in the church
cemetery.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday
at
The Pederson Funeral Home of
Watertown is serving the family.
USS Roxane
(AKA-37:
dp. 7,080; 1. 426'0"; b. 58'0"; dr. 16'0"; s. 16 k.
cpl.
303; a. 1 5", 8 40mm., 10 20mm.; cl. Artemis, T.
S4-SE2-BE1)
Roxane
(AKA-37) was laid down 1 December 1944 by Walsh Kaiser Co., Ine., Providenee,
R. I., launched 14 February 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Edwin H. Armstrong,
acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission (MC Hull 1898) and
commissioned at Boston 12 March1945, Comdr. Jamee Stone, USNR, in command.
Following
shakedown off Boston Roxane loaded at Norfolk and transited the Panama Canai 24
April 1945. Arrivin~ Pearl Harbor 11 May, she proceeded on to Eniwetok and
Saipan before putting in to San Francisco 12 July. Departing San Francisco 25
July, she proceeded by way of Pearl Harbor Eniwetok, and Ulithi, to Manila
where she arrived 3 September. She operated on cargo runs between various
Philippine ports until arriving Japan 23 October 1945.
On
1 November 1945, Roxane reported to ComServPac for "Magic-Carpet"
duty at Matsyama, and proceeded via Okinawa and arrived San Francisco with
returning veterans 22 November. Departing again 11 December, she picked UD
additional troops at Yokosuka and Sasebo and reached Seattle 7 February.
Roxane
reported for disposal to Commander 13th Naval District 18 March1946,
decommissioned 5 June 1946, was transferred to the Maritime Commission 29 June
1946, and was struck from the Navy list 3 July 1946.