Irene Beth (Kraus) Boshart was born Nov. 20, 1937, near Pleasant Dale, to Joseph Jay and Christina (Boluslav) Kraus, the seventh of eight children. She passed away Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in her home at Milford at the beautiful age of 83, among loved ones closest to her heart.
Irene grew up in the area of Pleasant Dale in Seward County. She went to country school District #76 and also attended Crete High School for 1 ½ years. She moved on to Seward High School and lived with her brother, Leonard, and helped him on the farm with various tasks, including milking 30 cows every morning and every night. She She graduated from Seward High School in 1955.
Irene then worked at Cushman Motors in Lincoln as a billing clerk. Working here, she would meet her husband of 64 years, Robert Boshart. They were married Dec. 22, 1956, in Marysville, Kansas. Irene gave birth to two children, Lynette Dawn, born in 1958, and Robert J., born in 1961. Irene was a homemaker, seamstress and enjoyed crocheting and knitting until the children were older. She would go on to hold several different jobs, including Bob’s Service, along with her husband, Bob, Sports Express, Central Contracting, Dragonfly Coffee House and Seward Country Club. Her most favorite job was babysitting her great-grandson, Barrett Stutzman. Irene and Bob enjoyed going to the car races to see their grandson Shane Stutzman race at various tracks in the area.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert “Bob” in 2020; brothers, Richard, Leonard, Robert, and Bernard; sister, Alma Strain; and a grandson, Daniel Oltman.
She is survived by her daughter, Lynette “Smokey’ Oltman, Milford; son and daughter-in-law, Robert J. and JoAnn Boshart, Lincoln; grandchildren, Shane Stutzman, Pamela and Ray Montgomery and Kelly and Jack Yunker; great-grandson, Barrett Stutzman; and great-granddaughter, Kami Montgomery; brother, Alvin Kraus of Lincoln; and sister; Mabel Sysel of Denton.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 9, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Milford. Signing of the Register book is available Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at Lauber Funeral Home, Milford. Memorial contributions are suggested to the church. Her and Bob’s ashes will be buried at Milford Mennonite Cemetery at a later date. Condolences may be left for the family online at www.lauberfh.com.
