BOERJAN, Marie Catherine (Rogers) 1925-2019

BOERJAN, ROGERS, WEINBERGER

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 4/16/2024 at 20:12:39

Marie Catherine Rogers Boerjan

December 15, 1925 - February 27, 2019

ST. ANSGAR, IOWA - Marie Catherine Rogers Boerjan, 93, of St. Ansgar, died on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at the St. Ansgar Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral service will be on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at Visitation Catholic Church, Stacyville, Iowa at 11:00 AM, with Father Raymond Burkle officiating. Burial will be in the St. Ansgar Cemetery, St. Ansgar, Iowa. Visitation will be after 9:30 Saturday morning at the church. Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home of St. Ansgar are in charge of arrangements.

Marie was born December 15, 1925, the second child and first daughter of Joseph and Mabel (Weinberger) Rogers in Osage, Iowa. She was "mom, jr." to her eleven other siblings as she attended country school through eighth grade and graduated from Osage High School in 1943.

In the years following, she traveled and worked in various places after starting as a secretary at Farmer's Insurance in Minneapolis. From there she went to Portland, Oregon, as a nanny and also worked in the shipyards until the war ended. She then took a government job in Washington, DC, keeping records for the Naval Academy. On a visit home to Mitchell County, on a blind date arranged by her brothers, she met John Boerjan, who convinced her that she was getting to be an "old maid," and that she should give up her career and marry him, which she did on November 8, 1950.

They bought a farm on the Cedar River and raised eight children there, six of whom survive: Denis (Martha Chancellor), St. Ansgar, Cindy Sams (Joe), Minneapolis, Sheryl Krebsbach (Jim), Stacyville, Lee (Theresa), St. Ansgar, Paul (Donna), St. Ansgar, and Dale, Amery, Wisconsin. She was known for her fabulous cooking skills, generosity, and hospitality. It seems many visitors just happened to show up at mealtime.

She was an inspiration to many as "caretaker extraordinaire" for her two disabled children and later her husband, who was a stroke victim. She spent many hours over many years as a volunteer at the Good Samaritan facility in St. Ansgar.

Her sunny disposition was on display through it all. Her family was especially amazed at and proud of how she kept up with them by utilizing her iPad, FaceTime, the internet, and social media. Those technology tools brought the world to her when she was no longer as able to leave her home. She resided in her own home until early January, when she made the decision to move to Good Samaritan. The family is grateful for the excellent and loving care she received there.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband John in 2006, their son, Graig Allen in 1983, daughter, Beth Ann, in 2001, brothers Clair, Maurice, Marvin, Jerry, and Damian Rogers, sisters Monica Faas and Eileen Kleckner. Survivors include her six children and their spouses, a brother, Galen Rogers, sisters Marilyn Doyle, Loraine Prokopec, and Kathleen Prokopec, 19 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Schroeder & sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, Iowa. 641-713-4920. www.schroederandsites.com

SOURCE: Mason City Globe Gazette, 1 MAR 2019