Frederick 'Fred' Bohaty, 79
Frederick “Fred” Bohaty, age 79 of Lawler, died Tuesday, May 2, 2023, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 6, 2023, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler, with the Rev. Dan Knipper celebrating the Mass. Kim Ball will be the vocalist and Samantha Schulz will be playing the organ. Presenting the offertory gifts will be Fred’s grandchildren — Samantha, Montie Mae, Talyn, and Brooklyn.
For those unable to attend the Mass in person, please join the family via Livestream on Fred’s obituary page at www.hugebackfuneralhome.com.
Interment will be held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Lawler, with Chad Ball, Doug Ball, Gene Blazek, Joe Sabelka, Dean Fisher, Dave Vsetecka, Dennis Njus, Steve Kuennen and Jeff Jirak serving as pallbearers. Military Honors will be conducted by Harold Redman American Legion Lawler Unit No. 279.
Friends may greet the family from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 5, 2023, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church in Lawler on Saturday.
Frederick Edward Bohaty was born Jan. 22, 1944, in Los Angeles, the son of Frederick and Delores (Bartlett) Bohaty. He received his education in Colon, Nebraska, and Barstow, California.
He entered the U.S. Army in April of 1961 and was honorably discharged in April of 1964.
On June 27, 1964, he married Carol L. Graf at St. George Church in Tinley Park, IL. They lived in an apartment by Midway Airport and shortly thereafter bought a home in Woodridge, Illinois.
In March 1968, Fred and Carol bought the Carl Slindee farm six miles north of Lawler. He farmed the land and worked as a truck driver, was employed at the Conoco station for Bob Arens in Lawler, was a Schwan’s delivery man, and changed careers working as a dredge technician and mechanic for 20 years for Don Blazek Sr.
Fred and Carol built their present home themselves from the block up starting in 1976. Fred worked in his shed as a super do-it-yourself craftsman. He would fix anything or make anything for his wife, children, grandchildren, or neighbors.
He was noted for his patience in teaching others; always behind the scenes making projects and creating fun for the members of the Far Out 4’s 4-H Club for 24 years. He was a chaperone and BBQ chef for 4-H events and named an honorary 4-H member in 1989. He was inducted into the Iowa State 4-H Hall of Fame in 2006, was a proud member of the Harold Redman American Legion Lawler Unit No. 279 and was on the firing squad at veteran’s funerals.
Fred loved to work on old cars. He won many trophies and plaques at car shows with his 1951 Packard Ultramatic 4-door 200 Deluxe straight 8 288-cu.in. 135 automatic.
Fred is survived by his wife, Carol of 58 years of Lawler, IA; two daughters, Deborah Bohaty of Hudson, and Kimberly (Jim) Gannon of Des Moines; one son, Scott (Carrie) Bohaty of New Hampton; grandchildren, Samantha Gannon (Cole Nordman) of Des Moines, Montie Mae (Neil) Konrad of Marshalltown, and Talyn and Brooklyn Bohaty of New Hampton; great-granddaughter, Ainsley Konrad of Marshalltown; one brother, Ed Bohaty of Apple Valley, California; one sister, Loretta (Bernie) Sladky of Wahoo, Nebraska; many nieces, nephews, cousins; great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews in Nebraska, North Carolina, Illinois, Tennesse, Oklahoma, California and Virginia.
He was preceded in death by his son, Robert in 1969, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and many friends.
