Geraldine Bohne

Geraldine Mae Bohne, age 77, of Combined Locks, passed away peacefully on Sunday November 8, 2020 at Oak Park Place Nakoma, Madison. She was born August 1, 1943 in Marshfield, the daughter of Edward and Sylvia Reich. She married the love of her life Jim Bohne on July 15, 1972 at St. Thérèse Catholic Church in Appleton.

Gerri grew up in Milwaukee, the middle of three sisters, and graduated from Bay View High School. She attended the University of Wisconsin Madison in the 1960s, living at the historic Anderson (“Andy”) House. She started out as an art major and eventually changed to study French, briefly living in Angers, France with a host family. Gerri met her husband Jim of 36 years while they were both working as teachers in Kimberly. Gerri taught junior high school French and “Geometry Jim” taught high school math. Family meant absolutely everything to Gerri. She stopped teaching to be a stay-at-home mom, and would do anything for her sons. She was an amazing, loving mother, and that love expanded as her family grew, with the additions of her grandchildren. She doted on her grandkids, patiently playing cards or reading books with them and attending sporting events and school performances. She was loved and adored by her seven grandchildren.

Gerri and Jim spent many weekends and summers at Robert’s Lake, cruising around the lake in the pontoon boat. She was a long-time member of St. Paul’s Parish where she sang in the choir and volunteered as a money counter. A true artist at heart, Gerri loved sewing and knitting, making beautiful quilts and stockings. Gerri was an avid Kimberly High School football fan and always a Badger. She could frequently be seen cheering on her teams from the bleachers at Friday night football games or partaking in a football Saturday at Camp Randall. She enjoyed spending time with friends golfing, bowling, and playing cards. She was a fabulous cook; canning her own garden vegetables. After Jim died in 2009, she enjoyed many international trips and European river cruises with her sister Rozz and brother-in-law Marth.

She is survived by her sons Derron (Tammy) and Chad (Eileen Murphy), sister Rosalind (Marth) Christensen, grandchildren Noelle, Natalie, Nolan, Nora, James, Joseph and Emma, sisters-in-law Diane Bohne and Lou Ann Vander Wielen, brothers-in-law Robert Borth, Bill Bohne, Tom Vander Wielen, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, sister Jacqueline Borth, and sister-in-law Barbara Christopher.

Funeral services will be November 20 at 12:00 p.m. (with visitation at 11:00 a.m.) at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Combined Locks. Social distancing and face coverings will be required. The service will also be live-streamed via Zoom by Cress Funeral Service. Please contact family members for the Zoom password. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Huntington’s Disease Society of America at https://hdsa.org, an organization important to the Bohne family. Those wishing to share memories and condolences on Gerri’s Memorial page may do so at www.cressfuneralservice.com. The family would like to thank Oak Park Place and SSM Health hospice nurses for their compassionate care of Gerri.