Iola M. ""Dolly Gage"" Boehm

FINDLAY, OH--Iola ""Dolly"" Boehm passed away on her birthday, January 30, 2011, after an extended illness caused by dementia. She was born to Lois (Hambrecht) and Frank Gage in 1928 in Madison.

Dolly was well-known among musicians in the Madison area as ""Dolly Gage, alto saxophone."" Beginning in the Madison West H.S. band, and playing in an all-girl dance band in the Madison area starting in the years of WWII.

In 1956, Dolly married David Boehm and followed and supported him through a variety of job and career changes in: East Troy, WI; Rockford, IL; Niagara Falls, NY; Elmira, NY; Dayton, OH; Petoskey, MI; Madison, WI; and Westerville, OH.

Dolly had a very active career as a volunteer in different states with the Republican Party including Chairperson of local Party headquarters, managing campaigns and conducting seminars for local candidates. She served in three different states as a field representative for John Connelly's presidential campaign.

In her most recent move to Madison, Dolly was very active in a local Rotary club as a fund raiser and volunteered for a variety of Community Service functions.

Dolly successfully divided her attention and efforts between politics and her son, Jeff's, education. She was chairperson of a campaign to raise funds for Jeff's high school band to fly to Florida and appear in the Disneyworld Parade. She did her best to make sure that he received the best at home, in public schools and in higher education which included Otterbein College and the University of Wisconsin where he earned a PhD in Music Education.

The problems of Dementia required Dolly to be admitted to the care unit in Birchaven Village, Findlay, OH, in 2009. In spite of memory loss inherent with Dementia, Dolly developed a reputation among the care-givers for her extrovertish personality.

Dolly was preceded in death by her parents and only brother, Carlton. She is survived by her husband, David; son, Jeffrey and his wife Kimerley; and grandchildren, Aaron, Meghan and Ryan.

A Celebration of Dolly's Life will be held at 3 pm on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at Cress Funeral Home, 3325 E. Washington Ave., Madison WI 53704. Family will greet friends one hour prior. A full obituary was published in the Wisconsin State Journal on Sunday, February 6, 2011.
Correspondence prior to that may be sent to David Boehm, 15100 Birchaven Ln, Apt 208, Findlay, OH 45840.

A memorial has been established for the university where Jeff is the band director. Donations may be sent to Bluffton Music Dept, ""Dolly Boehm Memorial Gift,"" Bluffton University, 1 University Dr., Bluffton, OH 45817-2104.