Ronald Edward Boehm

He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 7, 1948, to Edward and Burl (Branch) Boehm, both now deceased. Schools he attended were:

Lions Township High School in LaGrange, IL

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, with a BS in Television and Communications

Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, with an MA in Education

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, with an EdD, where he received a graduate fellowship

Ron had a meandering career history, starting in Kalamazoo with 3 years in his own photography business, where he tried to make the inside of motorhomes look large for advertising. He moved to New Hampshire in 1978 as Associate Director of the Office of Instructional Services and Educational Research at Dartmouth College. Then it was off to Creare, Inc, a leading innovator in the design and development of cryogenic components, where he was Manager of Marketing Communications. He learned to love wood and Shaker design as VP of Marketing at Dana Robes Wood Craftsmen. Finally, he settled in as Executive Director for ValleyNet, Inc, providing internet access and IT service for 20 schools and 6000 residential subscribers in New Hampshire and Vermont from 1995-2006. Governor Howard Dean appointed Ron to the Vermont Governor’s Council on Internet Safety in 2000. From 1993 until 2020 he and a friend consulted for the National Elevator Industry Education Program, developing and offering courses for instructors on the design and delivery of an apprenticeship training curriculum.

Ron married Judith Jean (Henderson) Boehm from Pittsburgh, PA, in 1982. Though they didn’t have children, they parented 18 cats and dogs. He is also survived by a twin brother, Robert (wife Peggy), of Redondo Beach, CA, and sister Barbara Nicoll (husband Andrew) of Tarpon Springs, FL. Fifteen nieces and nephews brought them much love and laughter.

Ron’s passion was fly fishing, taught to him by a high school teacher in NH, and then “practiced” diligently with a group of six buddies in northern NH and VT, Canada, the Bahamas, and Montana. He was treasurer of the local Trout Unlimited chapter. Golf, photography, skiing, and playing poker were activities that kept him engaged. Once they moved to Florida in 2006, he learned radio control flying and bonsai horticulture. Ron could often be found fishing from a kayak while Judy rode along doing nature photography. He was a member of Rosedale Golf and Country Club in Bradenton and Sho Fu Bonsai Society, Sarasota, FL. Usually involved in a church, he successfully led a $1.5 million capital campaign at Church of Christ in Hanover, NH, and was on the Mission Team at Harvest United Methodist Church in Bradenton where he devoted one month for each of four years to helping with the Christmas party at a migrant housing project.

Judy and Ron loved to travel together, reaching many national parks in the US, plus China, Greece, Canada, France, Portugal, Spain, Costa Rica, and lastly the Galapagos. Ron was known for his homemade pizza, and he would eat anything Judy prepared, except for a wok liver dish. But mostly he will be remembered for his kindness, reaching out to others, and humor. Even during his last two years in a memory care unit, the staff loved him for his humor.

Ron’s funeral and interment of the ashes, officiated by Rev. Nicholas Lee, will be held at 11am on Saturday, May 6 at Harvest United Methodist Church, 14305 Covenant Way, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202. The service may also be viewed online at https://live.welcometoharvest.org/. You can “Add a Memory” of thoughts and/or photo to this page with Ron’s obituary.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:

a. Harvest United Methodist Church, www.welcometoharvest.org/give , or

b. Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida, https://www.grrmf.org/donate/

We will always carry Ron’s humor and crooked smile in our hearts.