Shirley Ann Boehmer went peacefully to her heavenly home on Tuesday, April 7. She was being cared for at The Broadmoor at Creekside Park in The Woodlands, Texas. She has many good friends in The Woodlands and surrounding communities, where she lived and worked for many years. For the last fifteen years she lived at Holly Creek Apartments, a community she loved & she has dear friends there. She was a member of Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and she also received spiritual support from Saints Simon & Jude Catholic Church.

Shirley was born June 30, 1936 in Mitchell, South Dakota. She was the third child of Melvin and Gladys Moe. Her beloved siblings are Dolores "Dee", Joann, and Bob. She grew up loving reading and learning, arts and crafts, nature and animals, and especially horses. She graduated as a valedictorian from Plano High School in 1954. Later that year she married Zeno Boehmer and they began farming east of Dimock, South Dakota. They had six children who grew up on the farm and went to school in Dimock. The family were all members of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, the beautiful church on the prairie.

Our mom was a wonderful person who had a great zest for life. On our family farm we raised cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens, geese, ducks, and horses. She was a superb rider and horse trainer. We went to many horse shows through 4-H and the Pony of the Americas Association. At one time our horse transport vehicle was a refurbished city bus, but fitted with stalls inside, and a side entrance ramp. It was quite a sight for people to see horses looking out of a city bus's windows as it drove past! Our mom loved learning and made sure we had books filling our house. She was a great cook and that was a good thing with six kids always ready for a meal. She loved to sing and make arts and crafts. She loved to draw and paint. She was a great gardener and knew how to make preserves and all those things needed for the long South Dakota winters. Sewing was another of her skills and she made us ballet costumes & Easter dresses. Her love for God & prayer was always a part of our upbringing and we appreciate having such a spiritual outlook to guide us.

In 1977, our family moved to Nacogdoches, Texas where we lived for many years. Our mom was a part of the Catholic community there with a special love for the Catholic Student Center of Stephen F. Austin University. She became a Eucharistic minister and continued to grow in her faith and commitment to God. She also began a career as a restaurant manager during those years, something she really enjoyed. Eventually she went back to school and got training in home health care. That turned out to be the vocation that would be a part of the rest of her life. She combined her deep caring for people with her appreciation for their unique needs. Her spiritual understanding was a bond she shared with her elderly or disabled patients. She always felt blessed to give care, even as she was a blessing to others.

In another chapter of her life she lived and worked at the Monastery of St. Clair Horse Farm in Brenham, Texas. This is a monastery of Franciscan Poor Clare Nuns devoted to the contemplative life of prayer, penance, and union with God. It was a special time in her life as she explored the option of following this calling. The monastery was a lovely match for her in that not only did they raise miniature horses, but also were creative in making and selling ceramics and other arts and crafts, as well as making Communion wafers for churches.

Our mom will always be remembered as a delightful and free spirit. We miss her greatly and only are glad that now she is in the Love and Light of Jesus and with all her family who have gone before her. She was preceded to heaven by her parents, Melvin and Gladys, her sister Dolores & husband Gordon, her beloved daughter Jodi, and her former husband and our father, Zeno. She is survived by her sister Joann, her brother Bob (Linda), her children Kevin (Janna), Becky, Kathy (Bill), Janell, and Christopher, her grandchildren Trenton (Salina), Kacee (Quentin), Devin (Brittany), Anson, Noah, Mark, Elizabeth, and Quinn, and her great-grandchildren Lincoln, Amarey, Nevaeh, Cole & Maribella, and many more extended family and in-laws. She loved her family and friends deeply & her spirit is still with us in Love.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.