Obituary of Kathryn Bochert

Bochert, Kathryn "Dickie" Schwefler

Age 101, died peacefully in her sleep, attended by loving family, on May 6, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband of 73 years, Charles Louis Bochert, Jr. Kathryn Schwefler was born in 1917. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Psychology degree and worked with children with learning and behavioral disabilities. Soon after marrying Charles, the love of her life, in 1941, they began their own family in Basking Ridge, NJ. Charles' work led to relocation to Minneapolis, MN, in 1957, where the fifth of their five children was born (Michael Louis, Linda Hughes, Peter Wagner, Kathy Anne, and Barbara Jean). Dickie was devoted to her children and focused her considerable intelligence and strength of purpose in support of their various school and extracurricular activities. As her children grew, Dickie turned her attention to broader community involvement through volunteer work with Abbott Hospital, the League of Women Voters and, closest to her heart, Planned Parenthood. Dickie and Charles had an incomparable bond, sharing a deep enjoyment of the arts, sports, friends, and family. Their book and record collections were extensive and diverse, and something was always on the turntable. They loved bridge, tennis, and golf, and played them all well into their 90's. But Dickie loved Charles most of all, and to see them walk down a hallway holding hands, or sit with them in the soft light of their "situation" room, with classical music playing behind their thoughtful discussions and playful banter was to witness the strength, devotion, gentle camaraderie, and quiet grace of true love. Charles' passing in 2015 at age 97 was an incomprehensible loss to Dickie. She could only speak of her missing partner with great difficulty, and her eyes were never again as bright as in days past when he would walk into the room, sit by her side, and quietly take her hand in his. Dickie is survived by her son Michael Bochert, his wife Kay Bochert, their daughters Sharon Bochert & Michelle "Shelli" Bochert (husband Tom Peterson); daughter Linda Bochert, her husband Dave Hanson, their son Scott Hanson and daughter Sarah Hamer (husband Burt Hamer) and Dave's sons Matt Hanson (wife Sophie) and Brian Hanson (wife Leah) and daughter Maja Hanson; son Peter Bochert, his wife Wendy Jones, their sons James & Michael Bochert; daughter Kathy Bochert, her husband John Matheson, their sons Max and Peter Matheson (fiancé Paige Thorburn); daughter Barbara Nicol, her husband Steve Nicol, their daughter Marissa Nicol; and nieces Kathryn Davis and Anne Davis. Dickie was preceded in death by her brother Curtis Schwefler (1951), mother Kathryn Wagner Schwefler (1957), father Herman Schwefler (1963), and sister Dorothy Schwefler Davis (2002). The family sends a special thank you to the compassionate and caring staff at Friendship Village who were always there and always helping and always thoughtful, and nurse practitioner Melody Angell who is absolutely everything her name implies. Service will be held Saturday, May 18 at 12:00pm, Lakewood Cemetery Memorial Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Ave S, Mpls. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Planned Parenthood or Habitat for Humanity.