"Helen Boehm, a self-made businesswoman known as the Princess of Porcelain for her company’s elaborate sculptures, which have graced the coffee tables of royalty and heads of state for six decades, died on Monday at her home in West Palm Beach, Fla. She was 89.
Mrs. Boehm had been ill with cancer and Parkinson’s disease for some time, said Sharon Lee Parker, the current president and chief executive of Boehm Porcelain, the Trenton-based company Mrs. Boehm helped found and indefatigably promoted.
With her husband, Edward, Mrs. Boehm (pronounced beam) founded the company, known early on as E. M. Boehm Studios, in 1950. At the time, neither knew a thing about porcelain. He was a veterinary assistant trained in animal husbandry; she was an optician.
But Mr. Boehm was a gifted sculptor and Mrs. Boehm a natural pitchwoman. After all, she had once persuaded a customer named Clark Gable to buy a pair of sunglasses, and who in his line of work would not already own one?
Considered highly collectible, Boehm porcelains often depict flora and fauna and are known for their handpainted colors and lifelike detail. The current line ranges in price from $125 for a tiny lamb to $20,000 for a three-foot-high eagle. Rare vintage pieces have fetched in the neighborhood of $100,000, Ms. Parker said.
Boehm sculptures can be found in museum collections, including at the Metropolitan Museum and the Vatican. They have been owned by luminaries like Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Pope John Paul II and Sophia Loren.
In a marketing coup scored by Mrs. Boehm decades ago at the cost of 3 cents, Boehm pieces have been presented to every United States president from Eisenhower to Obama. For years they have been the de facto state gift from the White House to foreign dignitaries, as in 1972, when President Richard M. Nixon presented Mao Zedong with a pair of life-size porcelain swans.
After Mr. Boehm’s death in 1969, Mrs. Boehm continued to run the company with characteristic savvy. No sooner was someone in the headlines, it seemed, then a commemorative piece was made and bestowed on the recipient with all attendant fanfare.
For Diana, Princess of Wales, Mrs. Boehm created a porcelain copy of her wedding bouquet. After Diana’s death in 1997, she issued a limited-edition white rose, sending one each to Princes William and Harry and offering the rest for sale at $350 apiece. (A pink rose honoring Diana can be purchased on the company’s Web site for $395.)
Under Mrs. Boehm’s stewardship, Boehm grew into a multimillion-dollar business with studios in Trenton and Malvern, England. Boehm porcelain was sold in high-end stores like Bonwit Teller, and the company had its own showrooms in New York and other cities.
In consequence, Mrs. Boehm kept (simultaneously) a Rolls-Royce, a Mercedes and a Duesenberg; maintained a constellation of homes in the United States and abroad; owned a prizewinning polo team; and cheerfully dripped Harry Winston.
All this Mrs. Boehm, the daughter of working-class Italian immigrants, built from a business begun in a cellar with a $1,000 loan.
Elena Francesca Stephanie Franzolin was born in Brooklyn on Dec. 26, 1920, and grew up in the Bensonhurst neighborhood there. Her father, a cabinetmaker, died when she was 13, and Helen, as she was known, worked as a dressmaker to help support the family. As a young woman, she became an optician.
In 1944, she married Edward Marshall Boehm. An experienced livestock breeder, he made realistic clay sculptures of animals as a pastime. Mrs. Boehm encouraged him to pursue his art professionally, and eventually, with a loan from one of her eyeglass clients, they started a porcelain studio in a Trenton basement.
She often said that Mr. Boehm cared nothing for business. So she took matters into her own hands and was soon on the telephone to the Met, which purchased a Hereford bull and a Percheron stallion. In the mid-1950s she wrote to the first lady, Mamie Eisenhower.
Before long, a reply came from the White House inviting her to lunch. (The letter had 3 cents postage due, which Mrs. Boehm promptly paid.) She arrived in Washington with bull in hand, the first in a long line of presidential Boehms. And thus, president by president and prince by prince, Boehm bloomed.
Mrs. Boehm sold the company in 2003. When, several owners later, Ms. Parker took over last year, it was in brittle shape, its staff of more than 400 reduced to four. Today, Boehm pieces can be purchased on the company’s Web site and through several dozen authorized retailers.
Mrs. Boehm leaves no immediate survivors. She was the author of a memoir, “With a Little Luck: An American Odyssey” (Rawson, 1985, with Nancy Dunnan), with a foreword by Letitia Baldrige.
Not all of Mrs. Boehm’s marketing schemes worked out happily, at least not at first. There was the time, in 1958, that she brought a flock of exotic birds — real ones — to Tiffany’s in New York to promote her company’s bird figurines. The birds slipped out of their cage and were pursued through the store, gingerly, by employees brandishing small blue boxes. Some fled into Gotham’s wild blue yonder and were never seen again.
The story made the papers, and Mrs. Boehm appeared on television for days afterward."
Helen Franzolin (Beahm) was born in New York on December 26, 1920 to Peter and Frances Franzolin. She died November 15, 2010 in West Pam Beach, Florida. She is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Trenton, New Jersey.
Edward Marshall Boehm was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1913. His surname is pronounced "Beam". His parents separated before he was born. His mother, Elsie Boehm, died when he was seven years old. (He was not to meet his father until he was in his twenties.) Friends enrolled him in an all boys school for orphans and the poor, known as McDonogh School, where he remained until he was 16 years old. He showed some artistic ability at an early age, but it was not until after World War II that he was drawn to the art of sculpture which would be his vocation. .He was attracted to the art of porcelain sculpture and, after visiting some porcelain factories in Trenton, New Jersey, became determined to set up his own factory. In the basement of his home, he developed a formula for an excellent porcelain and began producing sculptures. In 1944 he married Helen Franzolin (1920-2010). They later moved to Trenton, New Jersey. The union was happy but childless. They remained together until Edward Marshall Boehm died 1969. His widow died in 2010, aged 89. Helen was also his distributor, sales manager, and public relations voice, but the pervasive prejudice against American-made porcelain which existed at the time was difficult to overcome, and they struggled, their finances dwindling. Their breakthrough came in 1951, when the Curator of the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York purchased two statues for the museum's collection, thus giving an authoritative endorsement of Boehm's art. Still, it was not until 1955 that Boehm's company really began to grow. By the time of Edward's death in 1969, he had seen his porcelains placed in the permanent collections of many of the world's most important museums and galleries. Today one can view Edward's sculptures in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Hermitage, the Smithsonian, and the Tokyo National Museum. Years after his death, in 1992, a wing in the Vatican Museum of Art in Rome was named in memory of Edward Boehm; he was the first American to receive that honor.
Edward Marshall Boehm is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Trenton, NJ.
Peggie Marie Plott, 84 years of age, of Concord, passed away Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at First Assembly Living Center in Concord.
She was born December 14, 1931 in Concord, NC to the late Martin Luther Earley and the late Willene Elizabeth Earley. She was also preceded in death by husband, Billy Ray Plott, grandson, Dustin Heath Witherspoon. She worked as an office manager for the City of Charlotte before retiring in 1994.
Survivors include son, Sherrill Darwin (Vicki) Plott of Concord, NC; daughter, Judy Plott Witherspoon of Concord, NC; granddaughter, Lindsey (Travis) Echerd of Concord, NC; grandson, Corey (Nicole) Plott of Concord, NC; granddaughter, Cassie Patrice Witherspoon of Lexington, NC; great-grandsons, Colton William Echerd, Knox Tyler Echerd, Richard Noah Raynor, and Blake Riley Witherspoon; nieces, Ann Payne, Patricia Bigham, & Debbie Plott
A graveside funeral service will be held on Monday at 11:00 AM in Charlotte Memorial Gardens at 7632 Hood Rd, Charlotte NC, officiated by Rev. Mike Toney. The burial will follow there.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord is serving the Plott family.
Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/charlotte/obituary.aspx?n=peggie-marie-plott&pid=180946913&#sthash.cqZTOGF6.lrq6dz3h.dpuf
"Bill" Charles Ross Nicholson, 80, of Brightwood, VA, passed away on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at his residence. Born May 26, 1936, in Madison County, VA, Bill was the son of the late Walter Rector Nicholson and Sally Marie Dodson Nicholson. Bill was also preceded in death by a son, Donald Craig Nicholson; and a sister, Marie Pearl Berry. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Gladys Marie Beahm Nicholson of Brightwood; one son, Dennis C. Nicholson and wife, Savilla of Brightwood; one daughter, Wendy D. Boone and husband, Martin of Madison; and four grandchildren, Derek Craig Nicholson, Sarah Nicole Nicholson, Rachel Marie Boone, and Kaylan Michelle Boone. He was a member of Thoroughfare Bible Church. The family will receive friends on Friday June 24, 2016 from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the Preddy Funeral Home Chapel in Madison, VA. The funeral service will follow at 12 p.m. Friday, June 24, 2016, also at Preddy Funeral Home Chapel in Madison. Interment at Thoroughfare Bible Church Cemetery. Perry Utz and Ethan Stanley officiating.
Contributions may be made in Mr Nicholson's memory to Thoroughfare Bible Church 3823 Thoroughfare Rd. Leon, VA 22725.
Jeanette Arlene (Harlow) Love, 70, of Palmyra, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at her residence.
She was born on March 26, 1944 in Charlottesville, a daughter of the late Carl and Ruby (Profitt) Harlow.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her adoptive parents, George and Thelma Love; four brothers, Billy, Ronnie, George, and John Harlow; an uncle, Monroe Harlow; and a son-in-law, Gary Sipe.
Arlene worked for the University of Virginia at Blue Ridge Hospital and later at the Sawyer Hospitality House for over 20 years. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a friend to many.
Survivors include nine children, Jeannie Sipe, Dorothy Hicks and husband, Chuck, Vickie Campbell, Ronnie Egnor and wife, Malisa, Teresa Smith, Cathy Shelton, Randy Egnor, Jimmy Fincham, and Melvin Love; a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ruth Blevins and husband, Garland and Shirley Gates; a special nephew, Dale Bliss; many other nieces, nephews, and extended family members; and her beloved dog, Casey.
A funeral service will be conducted at 1:00 PM, Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Thacker Brothers Lake Monticello Funeral Home in Palmyra by Reverend Randy Golladay. Interment will follow at Mount Eagle Baptist Church in Charlottesville.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 PM, Friday, March 6, 2015 at the funeral home.
Family and friends may share memories and photos at www.thackerbrothers.com.
Bernice Kathryn McDaniel Jarrell, 92, of Pratts passed away on Sunday, May 11, 2014, in Charlottesville. Born October 5, 1921, in Madison County she was the daughter of the late Edgar McDaniel and Lucy McDaniel, and wife of the late Guy Lee Jarrell. She was also preceded in death by two sisters, Nora Alexander and Carrie G. Jenkins; five brothers, Jessie, Claude, James, Eugene and Hubert McDaniel; three nephews, William Alexander, James Alexander and Lewis McDaniel; and two nieces, Joann Partlow and Louise Herndon. She was a member of Church of the Brethren in Kinderhook and was retired from the Silk Mill in Orange. Mrs. Jarrell made a wish to thank each and all who made her life good for her after her husband passed on. She made beautiful quilts and many crochet pieces that she enjoyed giving to people and if she gave you one she would always let you know how to take care of it. She is survived by four nieces, Genevieve Shifflett, Nina Belle Sprouse, Evelyn Mae Lamb and Corrie Lee Smith; and numerous great-nieces and nephews and friends. Funeral service was held 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at Preddy Funeral Home Chapel in Madison conducted by Pastor Glenn Shifflett with interment in Madison Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Pratts. The family received friends one hour before the service on Wednesday from 10 until 11 a.m. at the funeral home.
Della Dyer White, 93, of Orange, died on Tuesday, July 7, 2015, at the Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville. She was born on January 3, 1922, in Madison County, she was a daughter of the late Charles and Elizabeth Nicholson Dyer, and was also preceded in death by her husband, Maxie Warren White.Mrs. White is survived by her two sons, Gary Warren White and wife, Donna Lee of Mineral, and Carl Edward White and wife, Judy Mae of Unionville; and two sisters, Ila Weaver of Madison, and Margaret White of Luray.Funeral services were held on Monday, July 13, 2015, at 11 a.m. from the Preddy Funeral Home in Orange, interment followed at Walkers United Methodist Church cemetery. The Rev. Olin Herndon officiated. The family recieved friends on Sunday July 12, 2015, from 3 until 5 p.m. at the funeral home. Preddy Funeral Home of Orange is in charge of arrangements.
Donna Kay Jenkins, 55, of Leon, Va. passed away on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at her residence. She was born on January 29, 1960 to Raymond A. Johnson and the late Ida Nicholson Johnson.She is survived by her husband, Albert Jenkins; daughter, Jennifer Lynn Jenkins of Madison Co.; sons, Albert McKinley Jenkins Jr. and wife, Rebecca, of Madison, and Andrew Neal Jenkins and wife, Amanda, of Madison; brother, Raymond Edward Johnson of Madison; and grandchildren, Gracie Ann, Anna Marie, McKinsey Hope, Mason Lee, Ava Leigh, and Aubry Nicole Jenkins.Funeral services were 11 a.m. Monday, July 13, 2015 at Preddy Chapel in Madison, Va. with interment in Fairview Cemetery in Culpeper conducted by Pastor Jeff Light. The family received friends from 2 until 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon, July 12, 2015 at the funeral home.
Wesley Lee Beahm, 77, of Culpeper passed away Sunday, February 22, 2015. He was born May 26, 1937 in Oak Park, Virginia, and was the son of the late, Sammie Daily Beahm and Bertha Lee Peacher Beahm. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Floyd W. Beahm.Mr. Beahm was a member of Church of Christ in Culpeper.
He served honorably as a SGT in the United States Army. He was a former surveyor for VDOT for 17 years, Assistant Administrator with Cargill Milling for 27 years and was employed at Fisher Auto Parts for the last ten years. He is survived by his wife, Peggy Aylor Beahm of Culpeper; sons, Jeffery Lee Beahm and wife Donna of Madison, and Wesley Kevin Beahm of Culpeper; daughter, Tina Beahm Smith and husband Kenyon of Culpeper; sisters, Joyce Ann Henshaw, and Irene G. Beahm, both of Brightwood; a brother, Alvin R. Beahm and wife Faith of Unionville; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 25, 2015, at Preddy Funeral Home Chapel in Madison with interment in Culpeper National Cemetery conducted by Pastor Mike Morgan. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.
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