Mable Ann Boschee, age 80, of Miles City.

Ann Boschee, 80, of Miles City, MT, left this world on December, 16, 2012, after an almost two decade struggle with Alzheimer’s dementia. Ann was born Mabel Anna Larson, on November, 27, 1932 at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City, MT, just ten minutes before her identical twin sister, Marie Elsie, to Arthur Lewis and Elsie Hulda Elizabeth Hilleman Larson, joining older brother, Arthur Walter. All were raised at Hillside Ranch between Cohagen and Rock Springs, MT. They were home schooled by mother Elsie, a trained teacher, through the third grade, and then attended Hillside School until completion of the eighth. During their high school years at Custer County High School in Miles City, all three children lived with Grandpa and Grandma Larson during the week, only to return home to Hillside on the weekends to maintain their ranch duties. After graduation from CCHS, both Mabel (Ann) and Marie attended and graduated from the Presentation School of Nursing, based out of Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City. They were stationed at Aberdeen, South Dakota, Glen Lakes, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska through the course of their nursing education.

On September 13, 1952, Mabel (Ann) married John Alexander (Buddy) Mackenzie who was an officer of the Miles City Police department. Two sons were born to this union, Kenneth John (4/8/1952) and Keith Arthur (11/30/1956). Ann and Buddy divorced on 9/04/1957. Ann married Elmer Boschee on 6/25/1958. In November, 1960, they purchased a ranch at Hathaway, MT, forming the Boschee Ranch Corporation. Ann worked full time as an RN at the Rosebud Community Hospital in Forsyth, MT, from August of 1958 through August of 1980. She then worked part-time in Forsyth and part-time at either Holy Rosary Hospital and or Custer County Rest Home in Miles City until she retired from nursing in 1994. In March of that same year, the Boschee Ranch was sold and Ann and Elmer moved to Miles City where they resided together until Ann’s progressive dementia required her placement first in an assisted living facility and then finally to the special unit at Friendship Villa.

Ann is survived by husband, Elmer, sons, Kenny (Ava) of Miles City and Keith of Casper, WY; only grandson, Kevin James Boschee and only great-granddaughter, Mackenzie Rose Boschee of Cameron, North Carolina; brother, Artie (Nancy) Larson of Henderson, Colorado and sister, Marie (Bob) Jacobson of Laughlin, Nevada, four nephews, Carl Larson, Kim, Art and Chuck Jacobson.

She is preceded in death by first husband, Buddy MacKenzie, half -sister, Mildred Solberg, parents, Art and Elsie Larson, nephews Andy Larson and Bobby Jacobson and uncle Maurice Hilleman, renowned “microbe hunter, pioneering virologist and the 20th century’s leading vaccinologist”.

The years spent growing up at Hillside were filled with daily chores including feeding and watering the chickens, milking the cow, hauling water from the windmill, stacking hay, shucking corn, shoveling wheat, planting and weeding the vegetable garden, and rotating 3AM duty during calving season, to name a few. There was no electricity, running water or telephone. All work had to be done before there was time for paper dolls and making mud pies. High school weekends were spent on the ranch working; social time included rodeos at Cohagen, the dances following, and Sunday church services. Daddy (Art) had no time for nonsense or “girly things”.

Ann and Marie did everything together. As mirror-image identical twins, no one but immediate family could tell them apart. They frequently used this to their advantage, pretending to be the other twin in times of school testing and even dating. To further complicate the confusion, the girls often had similar haircuts as brother Artie, leading people to believe that they were actually triplets.

The twins not only mirrored each other in looks, but also in speech and movement, often saying and doing things at the very same time. When Marie was suffering from acute appendicitis during her first pregnancy, Ann experienced severe right lower quadrant pain-Marie was in California, Ann was in Montana. When Ann was in labor with Kenny, Marie began experiencing severe abdominal cramping, only to learn later that she had become an aunt. She also shared similar empathic energies with brother Artie, knowing without official notice that she needed to leave a rodeo in Forsyth to go to his hospital bedside in Miles City when he was suffering complications from multiple fractures that had not yet become apparent to the on duty staff.

Ann was an excellent, empathic, and caring nurse. She mastered skills in coronary care, labor and delivery, geriatric s, substance abuse, mental health, and emergency response. She often was a first responder at rodeos, farm/ranch traumas, school athletic events, and highway traffic accidents.

Kenny and Keith remember that “mother was either at work or asleep preparing to go back to work”. The most positive outcome for the boys was that they learned at an early age how to take care of self, cook and doing laundry and housekeeping. These responsibilities were in addition to the mandatory ranch chores. Holidays were always celebrated, but most likely not on the actual date, but a date that worked around mother’s work schedule. Ann never missed an athletic event that featured her sons, through their high school years; she was their most loyal fan. Social activities were exclusive to Sunday Church services at the Lutheran Church in Forsyth, football and basketball games, the occasional dance at the Hathaway Bar, and playing cards with ranch neighbors; card partners included Don and Evelyn Batey, Nels and Esther Nielson and Aaron and Stella Lachenmaier.

Annual events included the pasture picnic, including family and close friends, with special guests the Reverend Leo Tormoehlen and wife Ardis and their son John and wife Cynthia. Those were also the days of the big brandings, when neighbors from near and far would show up to work from dawn until dusk – always capped by the big “feed” at the end of the day’s work. Ann would cook for days to prepare for this but was also ready and able to assist with all calf vaccinations. Vacations involved either travel to California to visit with sister Marie and family or to Casper, Wyoming to visit son Keith and long-time friends Carl and Joann Frederickson

Mabel Anna Larson Boschee became Ann M. Boschee around the time son Kenny was in the 4th grade soon after he brought home his weekly reader story about Mabel the donkey and soon after Hathaway valley neighbor Aaron Lachenmaier named his milk cow Mabel. She had never been fond of her given first name, but these events were the final straw in making the name change.

Ann had a heart as big as all outdoors. She never met a stranger and would offer care and comfort to the occasional hobo who jumped off the train at Hathaway or to the numerous pets that would be abandoned on the side of the road. Two of her most unique pets were Henry the goose and Brandy the dog. Henry did his best to keep all from coming to the front door and Brandy would keep all from approaching Ann. Grandson Kevin “fondly” remembers the bites from both animals as he battled to get in to see Grandma Ann.

Ann was an excellent seamstress and made everything from western suits to formal gowns, pillows, blankets, fans and album covers. She was known to have stashes of goods and supplies, so if anyone needed anything at anytime, Ann would have it on hand; she might not know quite where she had put the treasure but eventually would unearth the sought item.

Meticulous about her appearance, Ann was known for her long flowing auburn red hair, accented by wigs and hairpieces, precise make-up, trim physique, and long polished fingernails Her laugh was contagious, her smile warm, her eyes sparkling She physically and emotionally cared for both parents in their final years and was with them when they passed. Long known for her long skinny cigarettes, she gave them up when her mother Elsie died with pancreatic cancer. When she was still smoking and chided to quit by friends and family, she would respond with “I’ll be OK, I have an angel on my shoulder. After her mother’s death, she gave up smoking knowing” that was what Mom would want”.

Two of her greatest joys were sole grandson, Kevin and subsequently his daughter Mackenzie. As all prepared for Kevin’s wedding to Mackenzie’s’ mom, Jennifer, Mackenzie at the wise old age of three, insured that Grandma Ann had hair, make-up and dress in order for the big day.

Mabel Anna Larson Mackenzie Boschee left this world with a legacy of love, caring, and service. She will be remembered in our hearts forever–until we meet again, Grandma Ann.

 Graveside services will be held on Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. at the Eastern Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery.  Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City is in charge of the arrangements.  Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting:  www.stevensonandsons.com.

Service Schedule

Graveside Service

1:30 p.m.

Saturday August 10, 2013

Eastern Montana State Veteran's Cemetery

Miles City, Montana 59301

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