ARNOLD (72) and JUDITH (71) BOCKENHAGEN, of Memphis, died September 5, 2008 after long illnesses. He was a retired Captain with the Memphis Fire Department after 31 years and she was a homemaker. They had been married for 51 years. They are survived by two daughters, Rita Madden, Carla Hasselmeier; two grandsons, Justin, Eric Daniels; and a great-grandson,Mason Daniels. He is also survived by two sisters, Helen Morgan and Mary Ann Graham; and she is also survived by a brother, Gerald Dupy. Visitation will be 12-2 p.m. and service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, September 8 at Forest Hill East Funeral Home with burial following. Forest Hill East Funeral Home 901-382-1000 (Published in The Commercial Appeal on 9/7/2008)
Couple married 51 years remain together in end -- Rita Madden had just left the hospital where her mother had taken her last breath. Driving back to her parent's southeast Memphis home, she agonized over breaking the news to her father. "It was just going to kill him. He couldn't live without her," Madden said. Through 51 years of marriage, Judith and Arnold Bockenhagen III had been inseparable. But before the news could reach him, within the same hour of his wife's death, Arnold slipped away to join her. "I just don't think they could be apart. Even in death," said Madden, the oldest of two daughters, who found her father's body at home. Both lifelong Memphians, Judith, 71, a homemaker, and Arnold, 72, a retired captain for the Memphis Fire Department, died on Friday. They are survived by their daughters, Madden and Carla Hasselmeier of Memphis, and three grandchildren. Their life was short on frills. Vacations were simple and after they started having health problems, virtually impossible. But what they loved doing, they did together, whether watching movies, cooking or gardening. They would watch the races at Southland Greyhound Park, and together fell in love with the long, lean dogs. When Judith was depressed over the death of their German shepherd, Arnold surprised her with Digit, an adopted Greyhound that became like a third child for them. "That dog loved my mom and dad," Madden said. The couple met at a party as teenagers, recalled June Holladay, Judith's childhood friend, who now lives in South Carolina. Holladay and Judith would go every weekend to a friend's house to listen to Elvis records and dance. "It was love at first sight on her side and he seemed very attentive," she recalled. Arnold, who worked as a bag boy at a grocery store at the time, wasn't much of a dancer, but week after week he would come to the party and give the two friends a ride home afterward. "She said right from the beginning she liked him," Holladay said. Nearly two weeks ago, Judith passed out during a doctor's appointment. Health problems had been mounting for both of them for years. But through it all, Judith's only concern was for Arnold, said their daughter. When her children urged her to go to the hospital months earlier, Judith protested saying she needed to be home to make sure Arnold got his heart pills and insulin shots. "They were like the right and left of each other," said Madden. "I think she just took his hand and they went together." Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. and the funeral service will be at 2 p.m. today at Forest Hill East Funeral Home, Whitten Road.
(by Lindsay Melvin, published in The Commercial Appeal
9/8/2008)
Couple married 51 years remain together in end -- Rita Madden had just left the hospital where her mother had taken her last breath. Driving back to her parent's southeast Memphis home, she agonized over breaking the news to her father. "It was just going to kill him. He couldn't live without her," Madden said. Through 51 years of marriage, Judith and Arnold Bockenhagen III had been inseparable. But before the news could reach him, within the same hour of his wife's death, Arnold slipped away to join her. "I just don't think they could be apart. Even in death," said Madden, the oldest of two daughters, who found her father's body at home. Both lifelong Memphians, Judith, 71, a homemaker, and Arnold, 72, a retired captain for the Memphis Fire Department, died on Friday. They are survived by their daughters, Madden and Carla Hasselmeier of Memphis, and three grandchildren. Their life was short on frills. Vacations were simple and after they started having health problems, virtually impossible. But what they loved doing, they did together, whether watching movies, cooking or gardening. They would watch the races at Southland Greyhound Park, and together fell in love with the long, lean dogs. When Judith was depressed over the death of their German shepherd, Arnold surprised her with Digit, an adopted Greyhound that became like a third child for them. "That dog loved my mom and dad," Madden said. The couple met at a party as teenagers, recalled June Holladay, Judith's childhood friend, who now lives in South Carolina. Holladay and Judith would go every weekend to a friend's house to listen to Elvis records and dance. "It was love at first sight on her side and he seemed very attentive," she recalled. Arnold, who worked as a bag boy at a grocery store at the time, wasn't much of a dancer, but week after week he would come to the party and give the two friends a ride home afterward. "She said right from the beginning she liked him," Holladay said. Nearly two weeks ago, Judith passed out during a doctor's appointment. Health problems had been mounting for both of them for years. But through it all, Judith's only concern was for Arnold, said their daughter. When her children urged her to go to the hospital months earlier, Judith protested saying she needed to be home to make sure Arnold got his heart pills and insulin shots. "They were like the right and left of each other," said Madden. "I think she just took his hand and they went together." Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. and the funeral service will be at 2 p.m. today at Forest Hill East Funeral Home, Whitten Road.
(by Lindsay Melvin, published in The Commercial Appeal
9/8/2008)
ARNOLD (72) and JUDITH (71) BOCKENHAGEN, of Memphis, died September 5, 2008 after long illnesses. He was a retired Captain with the Memphis Fire Department after 31 years and she was a homemaker. They had been married for 51 years. They are survived by two daughters, Rita Madden, Carla Hasselmeier; two grandsons, Justin, Eric Daniels; and a great-grandson,Mason Daniels. He is also survived by two sisters, Helen Morgan and Mary Ann Graham; and she is also survived by a brother, Gerald Dupy. Visitation will be 12-2 p.m. and service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, September 8 at Forest Hill East Funeral Home with burial following. Forest Hill East Funeral Home 901-382-1000 (Published in The Commercial Appeal on 9/7/2008)
Couple married 51 years remain together in end -- Rita Madden had just left the hospital where her mother had taken her last breath. Driving back to her parent's southeast Memphis home, she agonized over breaking the news to her father. "It was just going to kill him. He couldn't live without her," Madden said. Through 51 years of marriage, Judith and Arnold Bockenhagen III had been inseparable. But before the news could reach him, within the same hour of his wife's death, Arnold slipped away to join her. "I just don't think they could be apart. Even in death," said Madden, the oldest of two daughters, who found her father's body at home. Both lifelong Memphians, Judith, 71, a homemaker, and Arnold, 72, a retired captain for the Memphis Fire Department, died on Friday. They are survived by their daughters, Madden and Carla Hasselmeier of Memphis, and three grandchildren. Their life was short on frills. Vacations were simple and after they started having health problems, virtually impossible. But what they loved doing, they did together, whether watching movies, cooking or gardening. They would watch the races at Southland Greyhound Park, and together fell in love with the long, lean dogs. When Judith was depressed over the death of their German shepherd, Arnold surprised her with Digit, an adopted Greyhound that became like a third child for them. "That dog loved my mom and dad," Madden said. The couple met at a party as teenagers, recalled June Holladay, Judith's childhood friend, who now lives in South Carolina. Holladay and Judith would go every weekend to a friend's house to listen to Elvis records and dance. "It was love at first sight on her side and he seemed very attentive," she recalled. Arnold, who worked as a bag boy at a grocery store at the time, wasn't much of a dancer, but week after week he would come to the party and give the two friends a ride home afterward. "She said right from the beginning she liked him," Holladay said. Nearly two weeks ago, Judith passed out during a doctor's appointment. Health problems had been mounting for both of them for years. But through it all, Judith's only concern was for Arnold, said their daughter. When her children urged her to go to the hospital months earlier, Judith protested saying she needed to be home to make sure Arnold got his heart pills and insulin shots. "They were like the right and left of each other," said Madden. "I think she just took his hand and they went together." Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. and the funeral service will be at 2 p.m. today at Forest Hill East Funeral Home, Whitten Road.
(by Lindsay Melvin, published in The Commercial Appeal
9/8/2008)
Couple married 51 years remain together in end -- Rita Madden had just left the hospital where her mother had taken her last breath. Driving back to her parent's southeast Memphis home, she agonized over breaking the news to her father. "It was just going to kill him. He couldn't live without her," Madden said. Through 51 years of marriage, Judith and Arnold Bockenhagen III had been inseparable. But before the news could reach him, within the same hour of his wife's death, Arnold slipped away to join her. "I just don't think they could be apart. Even in death," said Madden, the oldest of two daughters, who found her father's body at home. Both lifelong Memphians, Judith, 71, a homemaker, and Arnold, 72, a retired captain for the Memphis Fire Department, died on Friday. They are survived by their daughters, Madden and Carla Hasselmeier of Memphis, and three grandchildren. Their life was short on frills. Vacations were simple and after they started having health problems, virtually impossible. But what they loved doing, they did together, whether watching movies, cooking or gardening. They would watch the races at Southland Greyhound Park, and together fell in love with the long, lean dogs. When Judith was depressed over the death of their German shepherd, Arnold surprised her with Digit, an adopted Greyhound that became like a third child for them. "That dog loved my mom and dad," Madden said. The couple met at a party as teenagers, recalled June Holladay, Judith's childhood friend, who now lives in South Carolina. Holladay and Judith would go every weekend to a friend's house to listen to Elvis records and dance. "It was love at first sight on her side and he seemed very attentive," she recalled. Arnold, who worked as a bag boy at a grocery store at the time, wasn't much of a dancer, but week after week he would come to the party and give the two friends a ride home afterward. "She said right from the beginning she liked him," Holladay said. Nearly two weeks ago, Judith passed out during a doctor's appointment. Health problems had been mounting for both of them for years. But through it all, Judith's only concern was for Arnold, said their daughter. When her children urged her to go to the hospital months earlier, Judith protested saying she needed to be home to make sure Arnold got his heart pills and insulin shots. "They were like the right and left of each other," said Madden. "I think she just took his hand and they went together." Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. and the funeral service will be at 2 p.m. today at Forest Hill East Funeral Home, Whitten Road.
(by Lindsay Melvin, published in The Commercial Appeal
9/8/2008)
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