Joan Bosch
June 9, 1931 – Jan. 9, 2021
Joan Bosch, the
daughter of Marion (Bohl)
and Mathais Garman was
born on June 9, 1931 in
Pierce County, North
Dakota. Joan passed away
at the age of 89 years on
January 9, 2021 at the
Heart of America Care
Center in Rugby, North
Dakota.
Joan was the fourth of
fourteen children and
grew up in the Balta area.
She graduated from Balta
High School in 1949 and
attended Minot State
Teacher’s College receiv-
ing a teaching certificate.
She taught for two years
at the German #1 Country
School in Fulda and
grades three through five
in Orrin in 1951.
Joan Barbara Garman
was united in marriage to
Joseph Michael Heilman
on July 15, 1952. They
purchased a farm south of
Knox, worked side by side
farming, and raised seven
children. In 1965 she lost
her husband Joseph in a
car accident. Two years
later she was united in
marriage to Robert John
Bosch and added three
children to the family. In
2008 they retired and
moved to Rugby. She lost
her second husband,
Robert, also in a car ac-
cident in 2009. One of
Joan’s few regrets was not
being able to attend the
funerals of either of her
husbands, as she was seri-
ously injured in both the
accidents and hospital-
ized. In spite of the hard-
ship and loss she experi-
enced, her strong Catholic
faith never wavered.
A devoted wife and
mother, Joan worked be-
side her husbands and
raised ten children. She
was equally adept at haul-
ing grain, milking cows or
stacking hay. She spent
countless hours cooking,
cleaning, sewing and
mending, gardening and
canning, and butchering
those awful smelly chick-
ens. She butchered hun-
dreds and seldom con-
sumed any. Joan had
many talents she lovingly
used to provide for her
family. She made the best
buns, could sew up
several dresses in a week
and still found time to
crochet. Joan shared her
deep faith by teaching
CCD at St. Mary’s for
three decades. In her later
years she enjoyed reading,
crossword puzzles, Su-
doku, blanket making for
her children and
grandchildren and watch-
ing Hallmark movies. Joan
had an amazing memory.
She knew the birthdates
of all her grandchildren,
great-grandchildren,
nieces and nephews. Joan
loved to sing and tend her
flower gardens.
After raising ten chil-
dren she worked at Heart
of America Medical
Center Long Term Care
unit as a bedmaker. She
was known for doing
more than making beds,
often helping residents
with grooming and went
so far as to purchase per-
sonal care items for
residents. She also volun-
teered in the Long-Term
Care Unit. Joan was an ac-
tive member of St. Mary’s
Catholic Church, Knox
and Little Flower Catholic
Church, Rugby. She was a
member of the Christian
Mothers and Catholic
Daughters of America.
Joan is survived by her
children, Valerie (Jerry)
Heggeness, Fargo; Char-
lotte (Randy) Simon,
Oberon; Linda (Keith)
Duchscher, Bismarck;
JoClaire (Jeffery) Halvor-
son, Rugby; Michael (Ro-
chelle) Heilman,
Bismarck; Rodney
(Colette) Heilman, James-
town; Lori (Dean) Peder-
sen, West Fargo; Simon
(Wendy) Bosch, Minot;
Frances (Marty) Harmel,
International Falls, MN;
Jay (Kristi) Bosch, Knox;
27 grandchildren and 32
great grandchildren. She
survived by five sisters,
Rose Schmidt, Sister Ga-
briella Garman, Margaret
Garman, Barbara Garman,
Betty Buttle and one
brother, Albert Garman.
She was preceded in
death by husbands Joseph
Heilman and Robert
Bosch; brothers Andrew,
Victor, Daniel and Jerry
Garman; three infant si-
blings Max, Barbara and
Anna; and her parents.
Memorials may be
made in her honor to St.
Mary’s Cemetery Fund.
The family would like
to thank all the dedicated
staff at the Haaland Home
and the Heart of American
Medical Center for the
care and love they gave
our mother.
Mass of Christian buri-
al was held at 10:30 a.m.
Friday, January 15 at St.
Mary’s Catholic Church in
Knox with burial in the
church cemetery. Father
Franklin Miller, Cele-
brant.
Organist: Glenda Mack
Vocal leader/Cantor:
Granddaughter, Heidi
Thompson
Casket Bearers: Grand-
sons, Kevin Heggeness,
Lee & Mark Simon,
Shawn Heilman, Tyler &
Josh Halvorson, Reed
Duchscher, Justin & Paul
Dalen, Cade & Drew Har-
mel, Jared Heilman, An-
thony Bosch, Collyn
Bosch & Nick Pedersen
Honorary Bearers: Si-
blings, Rose, Albert, Sister
Gabriella, Margaret, Bar-
bara & Betty and St.
Mary’s Christian Mothers
Arrangements with the
Anderson Funeral Home
of Rugby. Online registry:
www.funeralsbyanderson
.com