Carol Lynn Bohm

Jan 21, 2025

Carol Lynn Bohm, born Carol Lynn McKay, passed away on Jan. 21, 2025, in the company of her son, daughter and husband. All were at her bedside in the family room in front of the fire holding her hands when she peacefully drew her last breath. She was 72 years old, and died of cerebellar atrophy. Hospice was a godsend and extremely helpful and supportive. Carol was born in Idaho and came to Alaska in 1969 with her family when her father became the superintendent of the Beluga Power Plant. She attended West High School. She met, and later married, Terry Jorgensen while working at the Fourth Avenue Theater in downtown Anchorage. They had two children: Eric and Jody. Terry was a teacher at Chugiak High School and the family spent summers commercial fishing across the inlet at their cabins in Beluga. Carol had a varied career which included positions with the Fourth Avenue Theater, the Alaska Repertory Theater, Nordstrom Fur Salon, Martin Victor Furs, H. C. Price Construction and Palmer G. Lewis Building Products Company. It was while working for H. C. Price that she met, and later married, her second husband of many years, Robert Bohm.

Carol was a devoted and beloved wife, mother, sister and friend. Carol was a proud mother to her children, Eric Jorgensen and Jody Newby, and a cherished sister to Ellen McKay and brother John McKay. She was also an exceptional grandma to her grandson, Sebastian Newby. Carol had a deep love for her family and cooking, and this was reflected in countless family gatherings over the years. She was an avid gardener, finding joy in nurturing plants and spending time in the sunshine. She also had a special bond with her Scottish terrier dogs, who were a constant source of companionship and joy over the years. Carol's kindness, warmth, nurturing spirit and witty personality will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her family and friends will forever hold her memory close.

Her husband said of her: "From the day I first spoke to Carol, I thought she was the nicest person I had ever met. After nearly 30 years of marriage, I know that to be true. She made me a better person. During this long and debilitating illness, of which she never complained, her immediate family was extremely supportive. Her children, Eric and Jody, made frequent trips to Anchorage from the Pacific Northwest, preparing large homemade family recipe meals to be packaged up and frozen, for reheating to serve a quick dinner for two after they left. Carol would request that we turn her hospital bed around so that she could watch and comment upon all the action in the kitchen during these times. She really enjoyed the commenting part of the operation. She especially enjoyed and looked forward to the mornings when her very supportive and caring sister would arrive to help her out of bed, into her wheelchair and into the bathroom to be showered, dried off, dressed, have her teeth brushed and her hair styled. Passing by the bathroom door after Carol's shower, you would often hear both sisters in there giggling as they reminisced about their parents or another family member. Then she would be brought back down the stairlift to her hospital bed in the family room, in front of the television and fireplace."

Carol is survived by her husband, Robert Bohm; sons, Eric Jorgensen and Wayne Bohm; daughters, Jody Jorgensen, Julie Vaughan and Carrie Buckmeier; grandson, Sebastian Newby; son-in-law, Vance Newby; daughter-in-law, Brenna Reaugh; cherished sister, Ellen McKay; and brother, John McKay. She was preceded in death by her father, Leonard McKay; mother, Janie McKay; and sister, Bonnie McKay.

No service is planned. A celebration of life will be held later in summer 2025.