Eris Jean Boltman was born August 6, 1925 in Crookston, MN to Mae and Willmer Frank (Shorty) Boltman. Dying at 93 years old, she may well have been the oldest living person in the United States with cerebral palsy. Coming from anything but an auspicious start, with the help of a determined mother and her own inner strength, Eris proved that a disability doesn’t always hold you back.
Mae had a very long and difficult labor and they soon realized things were not going well. She was taken by horse and buggy to a nearby hospital, which was nothing more than a converted 4-bedroom house. Eris was a breech birth and the doctors believe damage to the back of her head during delivery caused her cerebral palsy.
At the time, little was known about cerebral palsy, especially in the rural areas of Minnesota. So Mae took Eris and traveled alone by train to Minneapolis for a diagnosis. There, doctors suggested Mae institutionalize Eris (very normal at that time) and told her Eris would not live beyond 30 or 40 years old. Mae and Shorty refused, deciding instead to see what they could do for their daughter keeping her at home.
Five years later, in early 1932, right after Shorty came home with his weekly pay, a kerosene lantern tipped over on the dining room table and the entire house, all its contents and Shorty’s pay went up in smoke. They were only able to get Eris (6) and Ron (5) at the time, out safely. Everything else was lost. They left Crookston to travel to Rochelle, Illinois, where Shorty had gotten a job as a supervisor on an asparagus farm. Life was difficult in this small farmhouse with an ill child. Eris was not able to get around and had to be carried everywhere.
In the late 1930’s, Mae and Shorty took Eris to Rockford, Illinois for a series of four surgeries, two on each leg (one on the knee and one on the ankle), to lengthen her leg muscles so she could walk. Each time, she was put into casts from her foot to her hip. During this time, Mae would travel to town one to two times a week to pick up Mable Hawkinson, a retired schoolteacher, who would tutor Eris. Very bright, Eris picked up on her lessons quickly through her teacher and from listening to the radio. Physical therapy was never an option during these years and it was difficult for Eris to get around. So Shorty and a local welder came up with an idea for a “walker” for her, constructed out of gas pipe and wheel casters.
Mae and Shorty tried to give their daughter every opportunity to see the world as others did. Shorty would carry her into stores and shops so Eris could see what they looked like. Eris’s brother, Ron Boltman, remembers the admiration he had for his dad, watching him at 55-60 years old, carry a grown Eris up a steep hill so that she was able to see the landscape around her area.
Mae gave her as much latitude as possible and pushed her to be all she could be. She bought Eris an old Singer sewing machine with a foot pedal and Eris learned how to
sew. She taught her how to cook and clean and take care of herself as best she could. Eris was always included in family activities, concerts, picnics, boating at Lake Lauderdale, taking her to the mall to shop and even riding a go-cart.
Eris is survived by her brother, Ron Boltman in San Diego, nieces, Linda Boltman and Sandra Hammack in the Seattle area and nephew, Craig Boltman from Reno.
Eris will be cremated at Unger-Horner Funeral Home.
Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery.
There will be no services for her, but the family will have a private service later.
Mae had a very long and difficult labor and they soon realized things were not going well. She was taken by horse and buggy to a nearby hospital, which was nothing more than a converted 4-bedroom house. Eris was a breech birth and the doctors believe damage to the back of her head during delivery caused her cerebral palsy.
At the time, little was known about cerebral palsy, especially in the rural areas of Minnesota. So Mae took Eris and traveled alone by train to Minneapolis for a diagnosis. There, doctors suggested Mae institutionalize Eris (very normal at that time) and told her Eris would not live beyond 30 or 40 years old. Mae and Shorty refused, deciding instead to see what they could do for their daughter keeping her at home.
Five years later, in early 1932, right after Shorty came home with his weekly pay, a kerosene lantern tipped over on the dining room table and the entire house, all its contents and Shorty’s pay went up in smoke. They were only able to get Eris (6) and Ron (5) at the time, out safely. Everything else was lost. They left Crookston to travel to Rochelle, Illinois, where Shorty had gotten a job as a supervisor on an asparagus farm. Life was difficult in this small farmhouse with an ill child. Eris was not able to get around and had to be carried everywhere.
In the late 1930’s, Mae and Shorty took Eris to Rockford, Illinois for a series of four surgeries, two on each leg (one on the knee and one on the ankle), to lengthen her leg muscles so she could walk. Each time, she was put into casts from her foot to her hip. During this time, Mae would travel to town one to two times a week to pick up Mable Hawkinson, a retired schoolteacher, who would tutor Eris. Very bright, Eris picked up on her lessons quickly through her teacher and from listening to the radio. Physical therapy was never an option during these years and it was difficult for Eris to get around. So Shorty and a local welder came up with an idea for a “walker” for her, constructed out of gas pipe and wheel casters.
Mae and Shorty tried to give their daughter every opportunity to see the world as others did. Shorty would carry her into stores and shops so Eris could see what they looked like. Eris’s brother, Ron Boltman, remembers the admiration he had for his dad, watching him at 55-60 years old, carry a grown Eris up a steep hill so that she was able to see the landscape around her area.
Mae gave her as much latitude as possible and pushed her to be all she could be. She bought Eris an old Singer sewing machine with a foot pedal and Eris learned how to
sew. She taught her how to cook and clean and take care of herself as best she could. Eris was always included in family activities, concerts, picnics, boating at Lake Lauderdale, taking her to the mall to shop and even riding a go-cart.
Eris is survived by her brother, Ron Boltman in San Diego, nieces, Linda Boltman and Sandra Hammack in the Seattle area and nephew, Craig Boltman from Reno.
Eris will be cremated at Unger-Horner Funeral Home.
Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery.
There will be no services for her, but the family will have a private service later.
Eris Jean Boltman was born August 6, 1925 in Crookston, MN to Mae and Willmer Frank (Shorty) Boltman. Dying at 93 years old, she may well have been the oldest living person in the United States with cerebral palsy. Coming from anything but an auspicious start, with the help of a determined mother and her own inner strength, Eris proved that a disability doesn’t always hold you back.
Mae had a very long and difficult labor and they soon realized things were not going well. She was taken by horse and buggy to a nearby hospital, which was nothing more than a converted 4-bedroom house. Eris was a breech birth and the doctors believe damage to the back of her head during delivery caused her cerebral palsy.
At the time, little was known about cerebral palsy, especially in the rural areas of Minnesota. So Mae took Eris and traveled alone by train to Minneapolis for a diagnosis. There, doctors suggested Mae institutionalize Eris (very normal at that time) and told her Eris would not live beyond 30 or 40 years old. Mae and Shorty refused, deciding instead to see what they could do for their daughter keeping her at home.
Five years later, in early 1932, right after Shorty came home with his weekly pay, a kerosene lantern tipped over on the dining room table and the entire house, all its contents and Shorty’s pay went up in smoke. They were only able to get Eris (6) and Ron (5) at the time, out safely. Everything else was lost. They left Crookston to travel to Rochelle, Illinois, where Shorty had gotten a job as a supervisor on an asparagus farm. Life was difficult in this small farmhouse with an ill child. Eris was not able to get around and had to be carried everywhere.
In the late 1930’s, Mae and Shorty took Eris to Rockford, Illinois for a series of four surgeries, two on each leg (one on the knee and one on the ankle), to lengthen her leg muscles so she could walk. Each time, she was put into casts from her foot to her hip. During this time, Mae would travel to town one to two times a week to pick up Mable Hawkinson, a retired schoolteacher, who would tutor Eris. Very bright, Eris picked up on her lessons quickly through her teacher and from listening to the radio. Physical therapy was never an option during these years and it was difficult for Eris to get around. So Shorty and a local welder came up with an idea for a “walker” for her, constructed out of gas pipe and wheel casters.
Mae and Shorty tried to give their daughter every opportunity to see the world as others did. Shorty would carry her into stores and shops so Eris could see what they looked like. Eris’s brother, Ron Boltman, remembers the admiration he had for his dad, watching him at 55-60 years old, carry a grown Eris up a steep hill so that she was able to see the landscape around her area.
Mae gave her as much latitude as possible and pushed her to be all she could be. She bought Eris an old Singer sewing machine with a foot pedal and Eris learned how to
sew. She taught her how to cook and clean and take care of herself as best she could. Eris was always included in family activities, concerts, picnics, boating at Lake Lauderdale, taking her to the mall to shop and even riding a go-cart.
Eris is survived by her brother, Ron Boltman in San Diego, nieces, Linda Boltman and Sandra Hammack in the Seattle area and nephew, Craig Boltman from Reno.
Eris will be cremated at Unger-Horner Funeral Home.
Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery.
There will be no services for her, but the family will have a private service later.
Mae had a very long and difficult labor and they soon realized things were not going well. She was taken by horse and buggy to a nearby hospital, which was nothing more than a converted 4-bedroom house. Eris was a breech birth and the doctors believe damage to the back of her head during delivery caused her cerebral palsy.
At the time, little was known about cerebral palsy, especially in the rural areas of Minnesota. So Mae took Eris and traveled alone by train to Minneapolis for a diagnosis. There, doctors suggested Mae institutionalize Eris (very normal at that time) and told her Eris would not live beyond 30 or 40 years old. Mae and Shorty refused, deciding instead to see what they could do for their daughter keeping her at home.
Five years later, in early 1932, right after Shorty came home with his weekly pay, a kerosene lantern tipped over on the dining room table and the entire house, all its contents and Shorty’s pay went up in smoke. They were only able to get Eris (6) and Ron (5) at the time, out safely. Everything else was lost. They left Crookston to travel to Rochelle, Illinois, where Shorty had gotten a job as a supervisor on an asparagus farm. Life was difficult in this small farmhouse with an ill child. Eris was not able to get around and had to be carried everywhere.
In the late 1930’s, Mae and Shorty took Eris to Rockford, Illinois for a series of four surgeries, two on each leg (one on the knee and one on the ankle), to lengthen her leg muscles so she could walk. Each time, she was put into casts from her foot to her hip. During this time, Mae would travel to town one to two times a week to pick up Mable Hawkinson, a retired schoolteacher, who would tutor Eris. Very bright, Eris picked up on her lessons quickly through her teacher and from listening to the radio. Physical therapy was never an option during these years and it was difficult for Eris to get around. So Shorty and a local welder came up with an idea for a “walker” for her, constructed out of gas pipe and wheel casters.
Mae and Shorty tried to give their daughter every opportunity to see the world as others did. Shorty would carry her into stores and shops so Eris could see what they looked like. Eris’s brother, Ron Boltman, remembers the admiration he had for his dad, watching him at 55-60 years old, carry a grown Eris up a steep hill so that she was able to see the landscape around her area.
Mae gave her as much latitude as possible and pushed her to be all she could be. She bought Eris an old Singer sewing machine with a foot pedal and Eris learned how to
sew. She taught her how to cook and clean and take care of herself as best she could. Eris was always included in family activities, concerts, picnics, boating at Lake Lauderdale, taking her to the mall to shop and even riding a go-cart.
Eris is survived by her brother, Ron Boltman in San Diego, nieces, Linda Boltman and Sandra Hammack in the Seattle area and nephew, Craig Boltman from Reno.
Eris will be cremated at Unger-Horner Funeral Home.
Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery.
There will be no services for her, but the family will have a private service later.
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