Egon Matthew Boehm

The family of Egon Boehm is heartbroken to announce his passing on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

Egon was a farmer through and through and lived on the same parcel of land near Allan for all his 89 years. The eighth of nine children born to Florian Boehm and Elizabeth Vogelgesang, he was at the precipice of a new era of mechanization at a young age. At just 9, Egon chauffeured his parents, who were more than a little intimidated by the powers of their 1929 Nash, to places like Holdfast, more than 100 kilometres away, to visit relatives. His dad was a horseman and was considerably more comfortable guiding a Clydesdale, not a tractor. Once when his tractor started spinning its wheels on a hill near the farm, Florian panicked and instead of pulling back the clutch, starting yelling “Whoa, whoa!” before Egon ran to rescue him.

On his own, Egon developed an impressive number of skills that would serve him well for the rest of his life on the farm — carpentry, machining, welding and mechanics. He was also an amazing musician who played by ear. While he was able to master many instruments, accordion and trumpet were his favourites (although his parents sent him to the hayloft to practise the trumpet). He played in various bands at church events, social functions, weddings, talent shows and dances. At one of these dances in the mid-1950s in Colonsay he met Katherine Wasylciw and they fell in love and were married in 1957. In short order, two boys would arrive, Terry and Bob, spelling the end of his days playing in a band. Gail and Darryl came a few years later.

After the kids were born, Egon and Kathy worked extremely hard to build up and improve the farm. Egon designed and constructed numerous machines — front-end loaders, snow blowers, harrows and bail wagons to name a few. He also spent a considerable amount of time building and modifying machines (a large rock picker chief among them) to deal with his lifelong scourge — rocks!

Egon didn’t confine his inventiveness just to his farm. As an active community member, he designed and built a Zamboni-style ice resurfacer which he donated to the Allan rink. He lent his carpentry skills to help build that community rink. He coached hockey teams, served on Municipal Council, Wheat Pool committees, Co-ops and was one of the first members of the National Farmers Union. He was also a voracious reader, devouring books, newspapers and journals, which shaped his lifelong interest in social justice.

Egon remained an active farmer, repairing and running combines, tractors and heavy trucks until he was 86. Along with work he periodically brushed up his musical skills, playing the accordion at nursing homes and hospitals. He also competed several times in the Kimberley International Old Time Accordion Championships, meeting his idol Dick Contino and consistently scoring high marks for his musical ability. But in his eighties, his health began to fail and he developed dementia and other physical setbacks. With the considerable and devoted help of Kathy, he was able to live on the farm to the very end. He took to reading encyclopedias cover to cover, perhaps to help retain knowledge that was so important to him. He continued to maintain his interest in the farm, politics and the daily news, and, to the slight chagrin of his family, Lawrence Welk Show reruns. Egon retained a sense of humour in his last weeks in the hospital as his health rapidly deteriorated. When asked what the doctor told him that day, he would invariably say, “I can go home now.”

Our husband and father showed us all what could be accomplished with dedication, hard work and devotion to family. He will be dearly missed and never forgotten.

Egon leaves behind his wife Kathy, sons Terry, Bob (Mary Ann), Darryl (Lisa), daughter Gail (Steve) and grandchildren Brianne, Ethan (Lauren), Ryan and Miranda. He was predeceased by parents Florian and Elizabeth, sisters Josephine, Mary, Margaret, Helen and Julia, brothers Ray, Raphael and Ben and granddaughter Katie.

At Egon’s request, there will be no funeral.

Arrangements entrusted to Aime Laventure.