Irmgard Elfrieda Paula Schroeder Boettcher

Irmgard Elfrieda Paula Schroeder Boettcher was born Saturday, February 13th, 1926 in Saarbrucken, Germany, the youngest in her family: she stepped into her eternal dwelling Wednesday, August 29th, 2018 at the age of 92 and six months. Irmgard was the wife of Ernst Otmar Boettcher for 66 years, preceded in death her husband 51 days prior to her departure; also preceded in death by her daughter, Susan Ann Boettcher Goble in 2013. She is survived by her son, Michael Boettcher; and grandchildren, Christina, Matthew, Audrey, Nathan, and John; a host of great grandchildren and other extended family.

Irmgard Boettcher lived her childhood in Barntrup, Germany, a town founded in 1220 in the northern part of the country of Germany. She completed elementary and high school and then attended “Seminar” (which is the equivalent of college), her degree- a Kindergarten teacher. She spoke often of her Father, Mother, 3 sisters, her brother, her friends, the people and neighbors of Barntrup. She spoke of being drafted as a sniper during WWII and her writing a letter requesting the government to allow her to work in the position of her degree. Her request was granted and she spoke of caring for 90 children from infant to 6 year olds with 6 other teachers. She spoke of the youth being pressed to be in the “Hitler Youth” and her along with other girls having to march overnight to a location, sleeping in a barn and returning the next day. She occasionally spoke of the details of the extreme difficult living conditions under the Hitler Regime. Irmgard rather spoke more often of the memories of vegetable gardens, snowfall, raising pigs, the smells of the town baker baking his bread every morning, the home her family lived in, her girlfriends and swimming, how her mother cooked one dish at a time, her brother helping her with her homework, her father always having candy in his pocket when she and her siblings met him at the train. She stated many times that “the bad times were very bad times.” She married Ernst Otmar Boettcher November 30, 1951 and followed him everywhere he ventured; from Germany to Australia, to the United States of America, by way of Hawaii, then California, reaching the destination of Alabama.

A graveside service will be held for Mrs. Boettcher on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at Pawnee Baptist Cemetery beginning at 11 AM. Rev. Joel Dison will officiate.