Longtime St. Marys resident James J. Boehmer, 90, died at 2:45 p.m. April 8 at Otterbein St. Marys SeniorLife Community after an extended illness.

Jim loved family, friends, fishing (particularly at Rice Lake, Ontario, and on his dock at Otterbein), watching sports of all sorts (especially Memorial High School Roughriders), singing (mainly in Holy Rosary choir) and taking drives. In his later years, he enjoyed coffee with the guys at Otterbein (his home for eight years) and Sunday breakfasts at Rustic Haven (pancakes with sugar-free syrup, thank you).

Jim was extremely close with his wife of almost 70 years, Martha (Roby) Boehmer. The couple attended all of their school years together (at Holy Rosary and Memorial High School) and started dating shortly after high school before marriage on Sept. 13, 1956. They enjoyed raising a family and participating in a variety of activities together, often involving other family members and close friends. There were many picnics with volleyball games and croquet, camping trips with evening fires, adventures at Rice Lake, excursions to Reds games, family vacations with relatives in places like Washington, D.C., and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and afternoons and evenings at kids' and grandkids' recitals and ballgames.

Jim lived most of his life in St. Marys after being born in Carthagena, Ohio, and spending part of his younger years in New Riegel, Ohio. He was the seventh of eight children of Anthony and Christine (Naseman) Boehmer, born on May 22, 1935. He is survived by his youngest sister, Joanne Katterheinrich of Sylvania, Ohio. Two brothers, Herman (Alice) and Walter (Beatrice), and four sisters, Dorothy (Elmer) Fink, Lucille (Roger) Schoch, Virginia (Harold) Kleinhenz and Jeanette (Paul) Borges, preceded him in death.

A 1953 graduate of Memorial High School in St. Marys, Jim served in the U.S. Army for two years before a 40-year career at Midwest Electric, mostly as a lineman. He was particularly proud of his work friendships, safety focus and union involvement at Midwest. His work sometimes took him into dangerous situations, repairing downed electrical lines following major storms.

Jim was a member of Holy Rosary parish and the Knights of Columbus.

Jim and Martha raised four children, Mike (Tami, deceased) of Cincinnati, Tim (Rosie) of Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Julie (Jeff) Ahlers of St. Marys, and Amy (Ed) Kohar of Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania. Jim had seven grandchildren: Chrissy Boehmer; Ryan Ahlers, Alyssa Vorhees, Natalie Clinger and Nick Ahlers; and Ross Kohar and Allison Kohar; and nine great-grandchildren, Gavin and Mason Ahlers, Lucy and Maggie Vorhees, and Katie, Clara and Reid Clinger; and Zach and Carly Offenbacher.

Preferred memorials (in lieu of flowers) include Grand Lake Hospice and Henderson Settlement (c/o) Holy Rosary Church. The family would like to thank Grand Lake Hospice for exceptional care.

Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 13, 2026, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in St. Marys. Visitation in the church before the service starting at 9 a.m.

Condolences may be expressed and memories shared with Jim's family via: www.millerfuneralhomes.net or the Miller Funeral Homes Facebook Page.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Miller Bros. Funeral Directors in St. Marys and New Knoxville, OH.