Caledonia Argus

Posted: 3/5/04

Owen ìBillî Boardman

Owen ìBillî W. Boardman, 82, of Onalaska, formerly of Thorp, WI, died at his home on Saturday, February 28, 2004.

Owen William Boardman was born on January 24, 1922, in Thorp, the son of Melvin and Grace (Christian) Boardman. He was raised and educated in Thorp, graduating from Thorp High School in 1939. After completing his education, Bill worked at Blue Moon Cheese in Thorp until enlisting in the U.S. Marines. He served during WWII, in the Pacific Theatre, where he was stationed in Hawaii at Maui. On June 22, 1946, Bill was united in marriage to Altine Johnson at the Lutheran Church in Houston. After his honorable discharge, Bill returned to work at Blue Moon Cheese where he worked until retiring after 43 years of employment in 1983. For the next 20 years they spent their winters in Florida and then moved to Onalaska in July 2003. He resided there until the time of his death. He was a member of the Thorp American Legion and a past member of the Thorp Moose Lodge.

Bill enjoyed golfing, bowling, fishing and hunting, especially turkeys.

He is survived by his wife, Altine (Jan) of 57 years, Onalaska; two daughters, LaVonne (Thomas) Greguska, Stoddard, WI, and Julie Boardman, Lake Mills, WI; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; four sisters, Helen Tobola, Chippewa Falls, WI, Daisy (Walter) Koltis, Thorp, Cora (John) Kaminski, Milwaukee, WI, and Dorothy Walker, San Francisco, CA; and one brother, Roger (Christine) Boardman, Montesano, WA.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Earl, Jack, Donald and Louise; and one sister, Ruth Mayer.

Services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 3, at St. Paulís Lutheran Church in Thorp. Rev. Daniel Welch officiated and burial was held at Stone Church Cemetery in Houston at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 4.

Thorp Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.

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