Portrait of Alexander-Bill Boese
A familiar figure in the Larned area for more than 50 years, Bill Boese of Alexander isn't letting age slow him down. At ate 84, Bill continues to sharpen saws, scissors and knives for customers.
When he started the business in the early 1930's Bill traveled through the Pawnee Valley in a 1929 Model T truck which he bought used for $5. The van carried all his sharpening equipment. The towns he visited included Larned, La Crosse, Timken, Rush Center, McCracken, Bazine, Ness City, Hoisington and other communities in the valley.
The cost of travel doesn't permit such excursions any more. But he still has much of his original equipment. His shop is located in Alexander. Some of his customers now travel considerable distance to have all their knives, saws and scissors sharpened. He also make knives.
For a time Bill coupled sharpening with farming. But when wheat his 21 cents a bushel in 1938, he quit farming and devoted all his time to sharpening business.
His wife died in 1971. They had six children, four boys and two girls.
William "Bill" Boese, 97 died April 6, 1989, at Great Bend Manor in Great Bend, Born Feb. 20, 1892, in Rush County, he was a Great Bend resident since 1985, having moved from Alexander. He married Pearle Estella Allen Sept. 12, 1911, at Bison. She died June 1, 1971. He was a retired farmer and tool sharpener.
Boese was a member of the former Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints in Alexander.
Survivors included two sons, Wilbert of Susank, and Robert of Dorrance; two daughters, Viola Ellis of Rozel and Fern Nairn of Great Bend; one brother, Herman of Iola; 23 grandchildren; 55 great-grandchildren; and 15 great great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Janousek Funeral Home in La Crosse with the Rev. Lew VanDerWege officiating. Burial will be at Alexander Cemetery. Friends may call from 1-9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in Alexander.
A familiar figure in the Larned area for more than 50 years, Bill Boese of Alexander isn't letting age slow him down. At ate 84, Bill continues to sharpen saws, scissors and knives for customers.
When he started the business in the early 1930's Bill traveled through the Pawnee Valley in a 1929 Model T truck which he bought used for $5. The van carried all his sharpening equipment. The towns he visited included Larned, La Crosse, Timken, Rush Center, McCracken, Bazine, Ness City, Hoisington and other communities in the valley.
The cost of travel doesn't permit such excursions any more. But he still has much of his original equipment. His shop is located in Alexander. Some of his customers now travel considerable distance to have all their knives, saws and scissors sharpened. He also make knives.
For a time Bill coupled sharpening with farming. But when wheat his 21 cents a bushel in 1938, he quit farming and devoted all his time to sharpening business.
His wife died in 1971. They had six children, four boys and two girls.
William "Bill" Boese, 97 died April 6, 1989, at Great Bend Manor in Great Bend, Born Feb. 20, 1892, in Rush County, he was a Great Bend resident since 1985, having moved from Alexander. He married Pearle Estella Allen Sept. 12, 1911, at Bison. She died June 1, 1971. He was a retired farmer and tool sharpener.
Boese was a member of the former Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints in Alexander.
Survivors included two sons, Wilbert of Susank, and Robert of Dorrance; two daughters, Viola Ellis of Rozel and Fern Nairn of Great Bend; one brother, Herman of Iola; 23 grandchildren; 55 great-grandchildren; and 15 great great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Janousek Funeral Home in La Crosse with the Rev. Lew VanDerWege officiating. Burial will be at Alexander Cemetery. Friends may call from 1-9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in Alexander.
Portrait of Alexander-Bill Boese
A familiar figure in the Larned area for more than 50 years, Bill Boese of Alexander isn't letting age slow him down. At ate 84, Bill continues to sharpen saws, scissors and knives for customers.
When he started the business in the early 1930's Bill traveled through the Pawnee Valley in a 1929 Model T truck which he bought used for $5. The van carried all his sharpening equipment. The towns he visited included Larned, La Crosse, Timken, Rush Center, McCracken, Bazine, Ness City, Hoisington and other communities in the valley.
The cost of travel doesn't permit such excursions any more. But he still has much of his original equipment. His shop is located in Alexander. Some of his customers now travel considerable distance to have all their knives, saws and scissors sharpened. He also make knives.
For a time Bill coupled sharpening with farming. But when wheat his 21 cents a bushel in 1938, he quit farming and devoted all his time to sharpening business.
His wife died in 1971. They had six children, four boys and two girls.
William "Bill" Boese, 97 died April 6, 1989, at Great Bend Manor in Great Bend, Born Feb. 20, 1892, in Rush County, he was a Great Bend resident since 1985, having moved from Alexander. He married Pearle Estella Allen Sept. 12, 1911, at Bison. She died June 1, 1971. He was a retired farmer and tool sharpener.
Boese was a member of the former Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints in Alexander.
Survivors included two sons, Wilbert of Susank, and Robert of Dorrance; two daughters, Viola Ellis of Rozel and Fern Nairn of Great Bend; one brother, Herman of Iola; 23 grandchildren; 55 great-grandchildren; and 15 great great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Janousek Funeral Home in La Crosse with the Rev. Lew VanDerWege officiating. Burial will be at Alexander Cemetery. Friends may call from 1-9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in Alexander.
A familiar figure in the Larned area for more than 50 years, Bill Boese of Alexander isn't letting age slow him down. At ate 84, Bill continues to sharpen saws, scissors and knives for customers.
When he started the business in the early 1930's Bill traveled through the Pawnee Valley in a 1929 Model T truck which he bought used for $5. The van carried all his sharpening equipment. The towns he visited included Larned, La Crosse, Timken, Rush Center, McCracken, Bazine, Ness City, Hoisington and other communities in the valley.
The cost of travel doesn't permit such excursions any more. But he still has much of his original equipment. His shop is located in Alexander. Some of his customers now travel considerable distance to have all their knives, saws and scissors sharpened. He also make knives.
For a time Bill coupled sharpening with farming. But when wheat his 21 cents a bushel in 1938, he quit farming and devoted all his time to sharpening business.
His wife died in 1971. They had six children, four boys and two girls.
William "Bill" Boese, 97 died April 6, 1989, at Great Bend Manor in Great Bend, Born Feb. 20, 1892, in Rush County, he was a Great Bend resident since 1985, having moved from Alexander. He married Pearle Estella Allen Sept. 12, 1911, at Bison. She died June 1, 1971. He was a retired farmer and tool sharpener.
Boese was a member of the former Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints in Alexander.
Survivors included two sons, Wilbert of Susank, and Robert of Dorrance; two daughters, Viola Ellis of Rozel and Fern Nairn of Great Bend; one brother, Herman of Iola; 23 grandchildren; 55 great-grandchildren; and 15 great great-grandchildren.
Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Janousek Funeral Home in La Crosse with the Rev. Lew VanDerWege officiating. Burial will be at Alexander Cemetery. Friends may call from 1-9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in Alexander.
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