Carolyn Jean Rensmon BoelterCarolyn Jean Rensmon Boelter

Carolyn Jean (Rensmon) Boelter, 94, passed away peacefully on Mother’s Day Sunday, May 11, 2025 at dawn at the St. Johns Woodlands Campus, Albert Lea, Minn. A memorial service will be held at 2:45 p.m., Sunday, June 1, at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home, Albert Lea, Minn. A visitation will begin at 2 p.m. on the day of the service, with a luncheon to follow the service. Pastor Mary Fiel from First Lutheran Church will be officiating.
Carolyn was born Jan. 20, 1931 on the family farm in Lake Mills. She was the fourth daughter of Abel and Luella (Nystuen) Rensmon. Carolyn attended school in Lake Mills. After graduation, she moved to Albert Lea, Minn., and was employed at Queen Stove Works.
Carolyn met Orville A. Boelter through her sister, Helen, and brother-in-law, Milford Berhow. Orville was in partnership at Luethold’s Mens Clothing, Albert Lea. He proposed to her before leaving for service in the Korean War.
When he returned, they were married Aug. 16, 1952 at Bristol Lutheran Church in Iowa. They raised their three boys: Keith (72), Bruce (70), and Robert (66) on the northside of Albert Lea on Green St.
The family took many fishing and camping trips up to the northern Minnesota lakes. The family also were members of Salem Lutheran Church, and the three boys were confirmed there.
Eventually, Orville and Carolyn moved to Medford, Ore., and opened Boelter’s Men’s Clothing Store. Unfortunately, Orville was killed in a car accident in April 1978. Carolyn continued to live in Medford and worked at LaPoint’s Ladies Clothing Store. She eventually left Medford and traveled for a year. She enjoyed living and traveling in a motor home with good friends, Paul and Willie. They toured the west coast through Oregon and California.
She decided to move to Gilbert, Ariz., in order to be closer to her “teacher” son, Robert and his wife, Linda, who resided in Phoeniz, Ariz. After working at Sears in Mesa, Ariz., she decided to move back to Minnesota. She was employed at Creegar Coat Company on the miracle mile in Rochester, Minn., for many years, until her retirement in 2001.
Carolyn continued to be active, traveling with family and friends to Mexico, Hawaii, Norway, Branson and Las Vegas. She enjoyed meeting people and spending time with friends. She was an avid book and novel reader. Carolyn enjoyed playing cards and also games on her smart phone. Carolyn resided at the Kenosha Apartments for the past 16 years, where she valued the many friendships of dear friends. Carolyn moved to St. Johns Timbers in Albert Lea in February 2025.
Carolyn is cherished by many family members, including her sister, Agnes Tiede (who turned 101 this May); sons: Keith, Bruce and Robert Boelter; daughters-in-law: Becky (Hartz) Boelter and Linda (Winokur) Boelter; sister-in-law Ruth Boelter; nieces: Jane (Berhow) Frank, Nancy (Berhow) Stadille, Diane Fieck, Debbie (Fieck) Oberring, and Denise (Fieck) Becker; nephews: Steve Tiede and Mark Tiede; grandson, Tony Boelter; granddaughter, Jennifer (Boelter) Dauer; great-granddaughter, Isabel Hanson; along with many cousins and dear friends.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband, Orville; parents, Abel and Luella; sisters: Helen Berhow and Dorothy Fieck; along with brother-in-law, Lyle Boelter.