Fred Boger, age 102, long time resident of Turtle Lake, ND, passed away right after Christmas in the early morning hours of December 26, 2019.     Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, January 3 at 11 a.m. in Turtle Lake, ND at Trinity Lutheran Church, with burial at The Turtle Lake Cemetery.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church

Fred was born May 30, 1917 on his parent's farm near Garrison. He was the second of 11 children born to Daniel and Wilhelmena Boger. His first employment outside of farm work, was working at two area coal mines....predecessors to the big mines of today. In 1940 Fred was seriously injured when a loaded grain truck backed over him. After a year long recovery, he worked as a McLean County road grader. In late 1942 he was called for World War II service but did not pass the physical due to his accident injury and poor vision. So instead, he traveled to WA state where he did defense work for the Navy as a shipfitter and later as a foreman for a government paint project. In 1945, Fred returned to Garrison and started working at the Occident Elevator, and soon after was transferred and promoted to manager of the Occident Elevator in Turtle Lake. Shortly after his move to Turtle Lake, he met Gertrude Wirtz at a dance. She became his wife on June 29, 1947. They raised three daughters, the ABC girls, Ardythe, Brenda and Candice and several stray cats, the most dear to him was Dolly. Fred continued to work at the elevator and saw its change over to Peavey Producer Company. His career in the grain business continued until his retirement in 1980. His young girls were schooled in the art of distinquishing all the various grains as they drove the countryside and looked at the bountiful crops about to be harvested. As part of his job and involment in local farm organizations he was offered several travel opportunities throughout the US, which he and Gertrude enjoyed. In 1960 Fred and Gertrude opened Boger's Speed Wash, a coin operated laundramat which they continued to operate for 36 years. This was a family operation where the ABC girls learned about work and responsibility from their dad, and how it funded their college educations.

Fred was dedicated to his jobs and work, but also to family, church, and community. As member of the Commercial Club he held several positions, including president, and received honorary life membership. His longest serving volunteer service was 44 years on the Christmas committee. A main part of that was helping to hang up the main street light decorations. Christmas was his favorite holiday and at home he was the decorator in chief. Outdoor lights and the rotating silver Christmas tree in the picture window were fond traditions. How coincidental that he left this earth at Christmas where the angels were probably still singing Christmas carols. He also served on the City Council as street commissioner. This was one of his most challenging assignments as there was so much controversy over increased taxes for street paving. However, no more complaints were heard after the job was done and everyone appreciated the dirtless streets. Fred was also very active at Peace and Trinity Lutheran Church, serving many years on the church council, and as trustee, deacon, and treasurer. Even in his later years, his committment to church didn't end, as he was 99 and still ringing the church bell for services, believing it was a special honor to ring it at a funeral. It was at this beloved church where so many important events were celebrated including his milestone birthdays, his and Gertrude's 50th wedding anniversary, and their daughter's weddings. Fred set an example for his family on the importance of faith in God and how it was number one on the list of priorities. Among Fred's other activities, was service on county crop boards where he worked closely wih the local FFA Chapter which earned him Honory Chapter Farmer in 1959. He was honored to have served on city and county election boards as judge and inspector.

Boger's Speed Wash sponsored a local bowling team for 37 years and Fred considered bowling his number one sport. Then there was the game of horseshoes and the fun of fishing which he enjoyed with his son in laws and grandkids. (Except for the time he cut off part of his thumb cutting the last board of his fish house!) He didn't play much baseball, but he was a devoted Twins fan and would sit in his car listening to the games on the radio if they weren't broadcast on tv. He even tried out snowmobile racing and won the first time out, with a trophy to prove it!   Counting all those coins from the laundramat led to an interest in coin collecting, another in his long list of interests. Together, he and Gertrude grew a big garden with vegetables and flowers and canned lots of produce every year....maybe one of the secrets to his healthy life.   His retirement years were busy with restoring classic Chevrolets in his back yard garage. One of his most prized works was his 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air which was a familiar entry in the annual Turtle Days parade. A few years ago it sold at auction to a lady who fell in love with the bright tourqouise and sharp white colors. In 2005, Fred and Gertrude felt so honored to be King and Queen of Turtle Days recognizing their contribution to the community. Fred always embraced progress and a bit of life came full circle, when at age 99, he toured the huge drag line at Falkirk MIne....such a progression from his coal mining days 80 years prior.

Through all these pursuits, Fred made many life long friendships. His small immediate and very large extended family were so important to him. He and Gertrude rarely missed any kind of family event, and frequent visits to relatives was routine, as were trips to Kansas City to visit and help out daughters. So many of the family and friend connections made throughout the years came to help him commemorate a big milestone....his 100th birthday in 2017....what a celebration it was to honor a life well lived and truly blessed. The last several years of Fred's life were spent at Edgewood Vista in Bismarck and in the home of his daughter, Brenda in Kansas. He claimed he could live anywhere, but Turtle Lake was where his heart was and now he is home again.

Those survivors blessed to have shared his long life include his wife of 72 years, Gertrude; daughters, Ardythe Kurle, Brenda Youness (Robert), Candice Galarneau (Nathaniel); grandchildren, Shawn Kurle (Samantha Koehler), Johnathan Youness (Jeana), and Elizabeth Zimmerman (Jon); greatgrandchildren, Maddy and Ellie Zimmerman, and Jay, Jack and Julie Youness; brothers, Edwin (Shirley) and Johnny (Jean); sister, Ruby Boger; and sister-in-law, Cathryn Boger.

Preceding him in death were his parents; son-in-law, Terry Kurle; sisters and brothers and in-laws, Emma (Arnold) Halquist, Elmer, William (Beverly), Rueben (Dorothy), Leo, Alvin (Doris), and Marlene (Jerome) Bauer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church (Box 596) or Turtle Lake Cemetery, (520 Washington St., Turtle Lake, ND 58575)