Name: Joan Ellen (Ellan) Cantwell (Boeckman)
Born: June 1, 1946
Died: October 6, 1998
Age: 52
Picture of Joan on a small horse.
Location is 8th and Williams Streets in Omaha.
Picture of Joan and Tina (her dog).
Date: January 29, 1999
Name: Christine
How they knew Joan: She was her daughter
Memories:
Well you want to know memories?
I remember how much she loved Tina.
That dog meant so much to her.
I remember how she used to be the one to feed her
ice-cream cones and we called them cookies.
That would just make Tina's day if she got a cookie from mom.
After awhile we resorted to spelling it out,
because she knew what the word meant.
I read John's letter about Christmas Eve at our house.
I remember getting up really early,
to get ready for Christmas Eve dinner.
Grandma and Mary and Rachel used to come over early,
and help with the food, and getting the house
ready for the Boeckman family.
I miss spending that time, just the girls.
I talked to her alot since we moved to Las Vegas.
I used to call her probably once a week.
She helped me alot, not only financially,
but just listening to me talk about...everything!
She was definitely a good listener!!
I probably think about her at LEAST twice a day, everyday!
I miss her tons!!
This is all still really new, and extremely difficult.
Grandma gave me a little angel pin when I came back for the funeral,
and I wear it everyday, at work or at home.
It reminds me that mom's my angel now,
watching over me, well, all of us.
Date: January 18, 1999
Name: Cecile
How they knew Joan: She was her cousin
Memories:
I am one of Joan's cousins from Dayton, Ohio.
When I would visit all my cousins in Omaha,
we always ended up spending lots of time at Joan's house.
Everyone seemed to congregate there.
And, it was easy to see why, Joan
always made you feel warm, welcome and wanted.
Date: November 14, 1998
Name: Rachel
How they knew Joan: She was my aunt and godmother
Memories:
Aunt Joan was one of the sweetest people.
When my mom would talk to her on the
phone, I would always have to say hi.
She would always answer, "Hello, sweetheart." She
really loved angels. I was planning on asking
her to be my confirmation sponsor. Now
that she's gone, I plan on taking Joan as
my confirmation name. I know that right now,
even as I type this, that she is in heaven
with Jesus, watching over us, and learning how
to use her wings. I miss you, Aunt Joannie.
Rachel
Date: October 17, 1998
Name: John Boeckman
How they knew Joan: he was her younger brother
Memories:
She had the black Valiant car with push-button shifter.
She was the first one in our family to buy a new car, a blue
Chevelle. She even loaned the Chevelle to Jim and me for use while we
lived in an apartment going to school in Lincoln.
She used to take us swimming at Elmwood Park.
Joan was a great person to talk to about problems. She listened at
great length with both Alice and me, and was a great encouragement when
things weren't going well. One time she went with Alice to a family
eating disorder support group about Katie. She talked alot on the phone
with me about Katie, even the night before she died. On Christmas Eve
last year she spent most of the evening consoling Alice about her
sister-in-law, Sue, who died a few days later. Little did we know how
quickly she would join Sue.
It was appropriate for us to spend time at our grandparents grave
after Joan's funeral. Now, she's in heaven filling them in on all of
us. It must be something to meet all of your ancestors since the
beginning of time.
One of the first things I remember was a trip to Dayton in June,
1961, when I took a trip with Dad and Joan to Dayton for Aunt Helen's
funeral. I think Aunt Helen was around 45 when she died. I remember
thinking it strange how she called that lady in Dayton "Grandma" when
Grandma was back in Omaha. She taught me alot about how important our
relatives in Dayton were. It was neat to see Uncle Danny, Uncle Joe,
and Cile during their visit.
I remember the Mass at our house in the summer of 1969 at 4915 Cass
St., and how the priest said how Joan was soon to go create a nest of
her own, getting married in September.
I remember serving at the wedding, and how lonely the right side of
the church was with only one pew filled in with Tom's relatives. We
missed them lots for a year while they were in Illinois, but glad to see
them come back the next year.
How many Christmas Eve's did we have at their house? After
Thanksgiving, it was the next time when Alice got to meet the family in
1981.
Date: October 11, 1998
Name: Dan Boeckman
How they knew Joan: he was her younger brother
Memories: Joan always set the clocks where
she lived 15 minutes ahead of time.
(I have set the clock on my microwave oven to
be 15 minutes ahead of time.)
She worked at Builders Supply.
I hear she always arrived at work at 7:55 AM.
That is why they knew something was wrong on
the morning of Tuesday, October 6th.
She did not like to drive at night
because her vision was not that good.
She wore glasses with very thick lenses.
Joan was the oldest child of 9 children.
(She was number 1 and I'm number 3 kid.)
Any memories that you have of Joan
please send them to me.
Any pictures send them,
any things that Joan said to you
or did for you.
I want to get to know her better.
I want you to know her too.
Send them to:
joan@spring2life.com
Or mail them to:
Spring To Life
P.O. Box 991
Omaha, NE 68101-0991
Thank you.
Dan Boeckman
(her brother)
