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The Boehnen Family Endowment was established in honor and memory of Lloyd Boehnen and Betty Roby by their children; David, Vikki, and Dan. The endowment was established to support tuition assistance at John Paul II Catholic School. Two of the children, David Boehnen and Vikki (Boehnen) Lansing-Copley were present at the Notre Dame All School Reunion in Mitchell, on September 13, 2013 to announce the gift. They challenged other alumni at the reunion to match their $50,000.00 gift.
Lloyd Boehnen and Betty (Buche Boehnen) Roby were both proud alumni of Notre Dame Catholic School in Mitchell. They passed on the importance of their Catholic education to their children whom also attended Catholic school in Mitchell. God has provided many blessings for the Boehnen family. They wanted to pass on the gifts He has bestowed, while creating a lasting legacy in their parents names. This is why a gift to the Mitchell Catholic Foundation made sense. They could provide a perpetual gift to help in our mission to protect the future of John Paul II Catholic School. The Boehnen family continues to pass on their faith by providing tuition assistance to families who otherwise may not be able to afford a private Christ-based education that they had the opportunity to receive.
When making an online donation, please select "other" and specify the fund name "Boehnen Family Endowment". Thank you for your generosity!
+Lloyd L. Boehnen passed on April 16, 2013, peacefully, in hospice care in the loving company of his wife, Doris, and daughter, Vikki, in Boca Raton, Florida. The cause of death is described as typical complications associated with old age. Lloyd was 89 years old and had experienced an increasing number of medical setbacks during the past few years.
Lloyd was born in Mitchell, S.D., on January 29, 1924, and lived in Mitchell until the 1970’s. After graduating from Notre Dame High School, where he was a captain of the school’s first undefeated football team, he attended Creighton University, but soon left college to join the Marines during World War II, where he served in the South Pacific. Upon being discharged after the war, he married Mary Elizabeth (“Betty”) Buche and returned to Mitchell to start a family, ultimately including three children, David, Vikki and Daniel. In Mitchell, Lloyd took over the Boehnen Oil Company business started by his father and mother, Leo and Elsie (Oberembt) Boehnen, and successfully grew the business until, by the early 1960s, it was the largest independent wholesale oil jobber operation in the State of South Dakota, and Lloyd was elected President of the South Dakota Independent Oil Jobber’s Association.
In 1983, during Mitchell’s Centennial Celebration, Lloyd Boehnen donated money to create the original museum structure at the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Site, which today remains an important Mitchell tourist attraction supported by his family. Also, in 1990, Lloyd endowed a permanent scholarship fund at his beloved University of Notre Dame. Lloyd never attended the school, but was a devoted subway alum and, in 1966, took the entire undefeated Notre Dame High School football team on a trip to see the undefeated University of Notre Dame football team defeat Navy in South Bend. All of the Notre Dame scholarships endowed by Lloyd are designated for the benefit of students from the Mitchell area or, alternatively, South Dakota generally. To date, more than 35 students from Mitchell and South Dakota have been able to attend the University of Notre Dame as a result of Lloyd’s charity. He has also donated money to the Mitchell Development Corp, the Community Foundation, The Abbott House and the Mitchell Foundation for Catholic Education.
In 1991, Lloyd married Doris M. Boehnen, and the couple has been living in Boca Raton, Florida. He is survived by his wife, Doris, and his three children, as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
+Mary Elizabeth “Betty” (Buche Boehnen) Roby was born July 7, 1923 to G.F. and Catherine (Forrestal) Buche at Yankton, SD. During the 1930s, her family moved from Lake Andes to Mitchell, SD, where she grew up, attended school, and graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1941.
Following high school, she attended the College of St. Benedict’s in St. Joseph, MN, and then interned at Swedish Hospital, Minneapolis, MN. She married Lloyd L. Boehnen on September 7, 1945 at the Marine Corp base at Quantico, VA, completed her degree in Medical Technology and continued to work at Central Emergency Hospital in Washington D.C.
After the war and Lloyd’s military service ended, they returned to Mitchell, SD. Betty worked at St. Joseph Hospital (now, Avera Queen of Peace) for a few years until they started their family. While Betty was a homemaker, she volunteered in many community service capacities, including serving as a Girl Scout and Cub Scout Leader. When her children were out of school, she and friend, Mamie Berry, started the first bridal business in Mitchell called, The Bridal Boutique. They began the business in the basement of the Berry home but, as the business grew, they moved to the main street district and became an anchor business there for fifteen years.
Betty married Raymond L. Roby December 17, 1977 at Sioux Falls, SD. She and Ray designed and built their dream home on Lake Mitchell, where they lived happily for the next 35 years. In 1985 she successfully passed the tests to become a stockbroker for Piper Jaffrey & Hopwood in Mitchell, serving as office manager the last few years prior to her retirement.
Though talented in business, family and friends were her passion. Betty was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. She served on the Board of Directors of St. Joseph Hospital (Avera Queen of Peace), the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Development Board and the SD Hall of Fame Museum Board in Chamberlain. In 1959 she received the National Carnegie Medal of Heroism. She was an avid golfer and belonged to Lakeview and Wild Oaks Ladies Golf Clubs. Additionally, she was a member of Fortnightly Club and an investment club for years. Betty was a life- long learner; sewing, water color painting, reading, staying on top of current events, and becoming an accomplished computer user. She and Ray traveled extensively, especially following her retirement.
Betty went to her heavenly home on June 27, 2013.
She is survived by her husband, Ray L. Roby; her children: David L. Boehnen and wife, Shari of St. Paul MN, Vikki A. Lansing Copley and husband, Patrick of Sioux Falls, SD and Daniel A. Boehnen and wife, Jennifer of Chicago, IL; step-children: Michele R. Bittner and husband, George of Mitchell, SD, John L. Roby and wife, Elaine of St. Paul, MN and Julia R. Cuban and husband, Michael of Coronado, CA; seven grandchildren: Lesley Boehnen Casillas , Michelle Boehnen Negri , Heather Boehnen Meeker, John A. Bieberdorf, Nina Bieberdorf Theiss, Christopher B. Boehnen and Lindz Boehnen; three step-grandchildren: Brett J. Bittner, David R. Cuban and Andrew M. Cuban; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Patricia Tomforde of Rochester, MN and Teresa Friederich and husband, Karl of Columbus, GA and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Jean Ann Graff and a brother, Robert “Bob” F. Buche and brother-in-law, Lawrence “Spud” Tomforde.
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