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James W. Bohn

May 10, 1932 – Nov. 10, 2018

James W. Bohn, 86, best

known as “Jim,” a lifelong

resident of Minot who

made his mark in the fur-

niture industry, died Sa-

turday, November 10,

2018. He had been in fail-

ing health in recent years,

and had been living at an

assisted living facility in

Garrison, North Dakota.

He was born in Minot

May 10, 1932, a son of

Anthony “Tony” and Lilli-

an (O’Meara), Bohn.

Raised in Minot, he gra-

duated in 1950 from St.

Leo’s Catholic High

School where he was a

standout athlete. His game

was basketball, and he

played on championship

teams. He also began to

learn the game of golf–a

sport he would excel in

later in life. He was re-

garded by fellow students

as a leader, and served as

class president through-

out high school.

He was still in high

school when he spotted

Carol Wilhelm, a student

at Minot High School just

across the street from St.

Leo’s. They were married

November 20, 1951, at St.

Leo’s Catholic Church in

Minot where they resided

throughout their lives.

Early on he went to

work in the furniture

business with the Voeller

family, beginning as a

manager for Self Service

Furniture Co. He later

managed Voeller Furni-

ture in Minot until 1973.

He had a talent for design

and decorating which

widened his career in the

furniture industry. He

wound up as a sales

representative for many of

the nation’s finest manu-

facturers. He was called

upon to assist with design

elements and in the selec-

tion of materials from fa-

bric mills that were ap-

plied to store orders.

In time, he was recog-

nized for his accomplish-

ments in the industry, be-

ing named the outstand-

ing store manager by area

retail stores and as

representative of the year

by the companies he

worked for.

After their children

were grown, Jim and

Carol travelled together to

stores in North Dakota,

South Dakota, Minnesota

and Montana, and to Man-

itoba and Saskatchewan,

Canada. They became

business partners and

respected friends of the

owners and buyers at the

stores they called on.

They were frequent hosts

at a popular, annual in-

dustry-wide party in Min-

neapolis, Minnesota.

With their children,

they enjoyed time away

from work at the family

cabin at Lake Metigoshe.

As a golfer, Jim gar-

nered three holes-in-one

at the Minot Country

Club, and a fourth at the

Bottineau Country Club.

He was a lifelong

member of St. Leo the

Great Catholic Church,

and also held member-

ships in the Elks Lodge

and Minot Country Club.

He also was a member of

many home furnishing as-

sociations.

Survivors: his children:

Nancy (Chuck) Kramer,

Laurie (Dale) McGuire,

Roberta (Jonathan)

Lochthowe, and Tim

Bohn, all of Minot, Linda

Bohn, Fargo, and John

(Gloria) Bohn, Cedar Ra-

pids, Iowa; grandchildren:

Matt (Keli) Kramer, Jesse

(Jenny Lock) Kramer,

Melissa (Chris) Siek, Joey

(Bridget) McGuire, David

Bohn, Michael (Carrie)

Bohn, Julie Parker, Sa-

mantha (Eric) Muenchow,

Evan (Shay) Bohn, Lance

(Kayla) Lochthowe and

Neal Lochthowe; great-

grandchildren: Skyler

Mittleider (Ashley Fisher),

Mercedes, Mya, and Ethan

Siek, Abigail and Mason

McGuire, Haley and

Emma Kramer, Luca Kra-

mer, Zayda and Drake

Lochthowe, Annabelle,

Brianna, Blake and Claira

Bohn, Alaina Parker, and

Easton Mittleider. Sisters:

Marilyn Kaemmer,

Denver, Colorado, Karen

(Don) Lott, Harselle, Ala-

bama, and Beverly

Russell, Saraland, Alaba-

ma; sisters-in-law, Karen

Bohn, Havre, Montana,

and Janet Bohn, Marietta,

Georgia. A number of

nieces and nephews also

survive.

He was preceded in

death by his wife; his

parents; sisters, Patricia

Evans and Mary Ann

Dickey, brothers, Richard,

Joseph, and infant, Billie.

Funeral: Friday, No-

vember 16, 10:30 am, St.

John the Apostle Catholic

Church, Minot.

Visitation: at the

church one hour prior to

the service.

Burial will be at

Rosehill Memorial Park,

Minot.

Memorials are preferred

to the donor’s choice.

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral Home of Minot has

charge of arrangements.