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.