To celebrate Women’s History Month, we are highlighting some of the remarkable women who have improved the quality of life in Marshall County and beyond, not just for women, but for all of us. The following is a lightly edited story written in the 1980s by Betha Haag.

Some people do big things and some little

Some succeed each time – some fail

Some become famous and some never do,

And some put their fingers in so many pies

nothing comes through

But this lady with hair turning grey, blue eyes sparkling bright and a gracious smile to greet friend or foe, finds that in the end the foe always becomes a friend.  She meets each challenge that comes her way with courage and wisdom, and never quits a task until completed  and completed successfully.

This blue-eyed, eager, busy woman was born February 28, 1909 in the city of Chicago, the oldest of eight children.  She was born under the sign of Pisces, and is intelligent, brave and outgoing.  She has all these traits, and with her love of others she has a deep wish to make the world better, beginning with her own community and spreading out from there.

After high school, Mildred graduated from Trooks Commercial College in Chicago, and always worked in real estate and the building and loan field in the city.

In 1931, she married Carl Bovee in Chicago.  They are proud of their two sons, Kenneth and Curtis, and their five grandchildren.  But God works in a mysterious way “His wonders to perform”.  Both boys developed an asthmatic condition when small, and the doctor suggested they get the boys out of the south Chicago air into some area where the air was clean and pure.  Now where could anybody find better or purer air than in Marshall County?  Not only is the air purer, but many other things are better about this locale.

They were impressed with Plymouth, and because of Carl’s previous business dealings with Allen Rudd, selected the Plymouth area.  They moved here in 1947 and began operating a motel.  The boys were never again bothered with any serious asthmatic attack after coming to Indiana.

Mildred Bovee will be remembered by many mothers and fathers, for she arranged for them to talk to their soldiering sons via ham radio.  Through her kindness and thoughtfulness, happiness was given and lonely hours became perfect hours – not only between parents and soldiers, but between friends and relatives when sorrow struck, or when “Merry Christmas” was sent across the air waves to a daughter far away from home or an ill aunt.  American Field Service students were thrilled to talk to their families, even though an ocean might separate them.

Mildred aided in all Civil Defense work when needed.  She could never sit with idle hands when there were tasks to be done – especially if those tasks would help others.

Having started the motel business in West township, she became interested in the community and the 4-H programs.  She became a 4-H leader and West township was the first to have an electric project, which Mildred instructed and directed.  She was also active in the Parkview hospital auxiliary and in the work of the First Methodist Church.  She also found time to manage the family business.

Her ham radio experience proved invaluable to the Civil Defense, and it served as a wonderful basis for 4-H leadership.

Mildred has served on many county boards, providing constructive ideas and suggestions to improve and implement programs for the community and the organizations.  These organizations include the American Red Cross, the County Mental Health Association, Parkview hospital board of trustees and the Civil Defense board.  Mildred was a member of the Parkview hospital board for 11 years.

As a member of the public relations committee of the Plymouth Business & Professional Women’s Club in 1958 with chairperson Bernice Strang, a survey of Plymouth industries and their products was conducted.  Employment and potential expansion plans were also part of the survey.

With the cooperation of Plymouth industries and “The Pilot-News”, a week was designated as “Salute to Plymouth’s Industries”, with articles and pictures highlighting each industry.  There were articles about this project in the “National Businesswoman”.  One of the industries featured was Lemert Engineering, and the head of the business, Mrs. Eva Lemert, was then a member of BPW.  Her firm had produced an invention that marked a great forward stride in the aircraft manufacturing industry.  Eva Lemert and her firm’s invention were written up in two trade publications with a national distribution.  An article also appeared in the “Independent Women Magazine” of Washington, D. C., and the 1961 issue of “Who’s Who in American Women” included her in their publication.

To this day, the members of the committee that promoted this project are convinced that their studies and actions were the inspiration to the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce when they later formed the Plymouth Industrial Development Corporation.  This committee, Mrs. Bovee believes, convinced PIDCO that a woman should be on their board, whereupon BPW member Rosetta Beiter Casbon served as the secretary-treasurer for several years, serving with distinction.

Mildred has always had many hobbies.  Besides her pet hobby, that of being a ham radio operator, was the making of lovely arrangements of everything from the most beautiful flowers to the lowliest weed.  All through spring, summer and fall she gathered these items, and her completed arrangements would end up in the hospital, nursing homes, some sick room, or anywhere that they might add a little sunshine.

Her latest hobbies are macrame and lapidary.  She and her husband Carl especially enjoy making lovely gems from just simple rocks.  They have ordered their own equipment so that they may make them at home at their leisure, instead of using the club house equipment.  They give away almost all the items they make.

Eight years after the Bovees moved to Marshall County, Mildred became a member of the Plymouth Business & Professional Women’s Club, and in 1958-1960 she served as president, when the membership reached 148.  She gives the entire credit for her later attitudes, ambitions and achievements to the wonderful women she worked with through the years.  Without the leadership abilities that she acquired through her BPW responsibilities, she would never have attempted to be active in politics on a local or county level or served on the various county boards.

In her new community of Hawthorne (a Leesburg, Florida suburb) she recently has become the editor of their community newsletter, “Penn-Notes”.  It is just two years old, beginning with four pages and growing to the present eight pages.  Last year she helped organize a tax aide service.  She and 11 other qualified residents attended a two-day training session and twice a week they counsel any senior citizen in the county.  These counseling sessions are held at Mildred’s church, the Methodist church, where she is also active in the Methodist Women’s group.  Missing her hospital auxiliary work back here in Marshall County, she recently signed up for service at her local county hospital in Florida.

Mildred is in excellent physical health and keeps it that way by hiking, along with her husband, two and three miles a day.  The rest of their waking hours are spent outdoors as well, swimming, golfing, playing shuffleboard and enjoying archery, the consumption of citrus fruits and the Florida sunshine.

Of her years as a member of the Plymouth BPW, Mildred has this to say: “We have had some great leadership in the club and the district, and I am certain that the newer women are availing themselves of all that the BPW Club has to offer its members.”

I will close this biography of a very wonderful person, one whom Marshall County hated to lose and one who hated to leave us, too.  We close with her own philosophy of life, and I quote: “I feel that you are what you make of yourself or – we are our own destiny.  As you well know, we are happiest when we are serving others.”

This is just one example of the personal stories and biographies contained in our archives. We welcome researchers to our library. The Museum is open from 10:00 until 4:00 from Tuesday through Saturday. Located at 123 N. Michigan St. in Plymouth, and our staff is always willing to help. For more information, call us at 574-936-2306. Check out our website at www.mchistoricalsociety.org.