Aloysius “Al” Paul Boehm, 85 of Columbus passed away on October 16, 2013.  Born of the late Francis Paul and Anna Josephine Kalins Boehm, he is beloved husband of Theodora Natalie Boehm.

He is survived by his wife, Natalie and a brother, Jerry of Bradenton, FL. He has seven children including three sons, Allen of Columbus, N.C., Daniel of New Boston, Mich., Glen of Winchester, Ind. His four daughters are Carol Weill of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., Beverly Cline of Indianapolis, Ind., Elaine Boehm of St. Paul, Minn., and Helen Miller of Piedmont, Mo. He is also survived by multitudes of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Al served his country in the Navy near the end of WWII.  He retired from his work as mainframe computer programmer from Evans Products of Michigan and Illinois, and from computer management at Escast in Woodstock, Ill. He began working at Kelly Services in the infancy of the computer age. His career grew with the increasing prominence of computer technology from hard-wired processing boards to punch cards, tape drive systems and onto mainframe programming.  He even adjusted to a whole new computer system well into his 50s at Escast, where he not only retired, but returned as a consultant until the company closed.

Many will remember Al by the vast array of Corny Jokes he told and the joy he received by seeing people smile.

After he retired, his need to feel useful was met by volunteering at the Columbus Meeting Place, the Food Pantry and packing Meals on Wheels.  Although in his 80s, he enjoyed visiting with the “old” people there.

He valued his independence, continuing to care for his home, heating with wood, climbing onto the roof to direct where to place his dish, and attempting to replace the faucets only a month ago.

He loved the outdoors and exploring, taking long hikes and Sunday drives that could be from Detroit to the Mackinac Bridge. At 78, he and Natalie visited Italy and Greece with their grandson’s school trip, and even ascended the stairs to the Parthenon. Most recently they enjoyed a trip to Disneyworld with their granddaughter.

Many heart-felt thanks to all who cared for Al this past month, including the fine staff at St. Luke’s Hospital in Columbus, those at Willow Ridge Nursing Home in Rutherfordton, the nurses, doctors and CNAs at Rutherfordton Medical Center, and those special souls at Hospice House in Landrum, S.C., who cared not only for Al in his last days, but for all his family and friends who were there for him.  Special thanks to Dr. Kennerly, Chaplain Kelly Belcher and Fr. John Eckert of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

For those who would like to make memorial gestures, please consider the Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills, 260 Fairwinds Road, Landrum, S.C.  29356; The Meeting Place at the Senior Center, 75 Carmel Lane, Columbus, N.C.  28722.  And all you golfers out there, remember to wear two pairs of pants…in case you get a hole-in-one!

Condolences may be left at www.pettyfuneralhome.com.