May 11, 2012       

WATERTOWN, N.Y.  —  Mary E. "Betty" Boomhower, 89, of Brookside Drive, Burrville, died Thursday, May 10, at home where she was under the care of her daughter, Mary Bull.

Born April 20, 1923,in Albany, the daughter of Herschel and Elizabeth Lockrow Van Buren, she attended Roesselville School and graduated in 1940 from Vincentian Institute in Albany where she was NYS Shorthand Champion. She graduated from Albany Business College with highest honors.

She married Harold A. Boomhower Sr. of South Bethlehem on June 11, 1949, at Our Lady of Mercy Church rectory, Colonie.

The couple owned and operated the family dairy farm near South Bethlehem until 1971 when they relocated to Rutland Center and continued farming until 1981. Mr. Boomhower died April 20, 1990. Mr. Boomhower was instrumental in the founding of Farm Family Life Insurance Company in the early 1950s.

Mrs. Boomhower was employed as Senior Stenographer at F. C. Huyck & Sons, Rensselaer until her marriage and Farm Family Life Insurance Company’s main office in Glenmont until 1971. She was legal secretary to Watertown Attorney Lewis G. Spicer III, until his death in 1981 and retired from the State Dept. of Correctional Services, Watertown Correctional Facility, Dry Hill in 1991.

Surviving are five sons and two daughters, Harold Jr. and Colleen Boomhower, Watertown, Charles and Linda Boomhower, Summerville, S.C., David and Mariellen Boomhower, Amsterdam, William Boomhower, Port St. Lucie, Fla., Douglas Boomhower, Dexter, Jean and Meredith (Buddy) Machia, Feura Bush, and Mary Bull, Burrville; 17 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; a brother, H. D. Van Buren, Lake George; a life-long best friend, Freda Reineck (Mrs. Edgar) Hartmann, Altamont.

Besides her husband, a son-in-law, Roger E. Bull, predeceased her in January.

A funeral Mass will be said 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 14, at Holy Family Church, 129 Winthrop St., Watertown. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery, Rutland, following the mass. There are no calling hours.

Arrangements are with the Reed & Benoit Funeral Home, Inc.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Family Church 129 Winthrop St., Watertown, Bishop Maginn High School Alumni Fund (Vincentian Institute class of 1940) 99 Slingerland Street, Albany, NY 12202 or Hospice of Jefferson County.

Online condolences may be made at www.reedbenoit.com.








Information provided by Reed & Benoit Funeral Home and Newzjunky, Watertown, N.Y.