Hans U Bohi

Hans U Bohi, 100, passed away on February 19, 2025, at home.

He was born on November 28, 1924, in Burglen, Switzerland. One of five children, Hans was the third born and first son of Adolph and Lina Bohi-Brunner.

Hans grew up in Burglen, where his family owned a flour mill, a large farm, forests, and hydropower plants. Already, as a young boy, Hans was drawn to the farm operation and spent a great deal of time milking the cows.

After attending primary and secondary school in Burglen, Hans completed high school in Frauenfeld, the capital of the canton. The unexpected death of his father in 1937 was a tremendous shock for the family. Hans' mom was only 48 years young with five children.

From 1944 to May 1945, when World War II ended, Hans was in military training in Central Switzerland. At the end of 1945, Hans was finally able to travel to Manhattan, Kansas, to study milling. The trip took him from Switzerland by train to Barcelona and Madrid, by plane to Lisbon and then New York, and by train to Chicago and Manhattan. The college in Manhattan was led by Milton Eisenhower, the brother of Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States.

Before finishing his studies, he learned of his uncle's passing, which meant he had to return to Switzerland to tend to the family's businesses. He eventually earned a degree from Kansas State University. Between 1946 and 1949, Hans traveled back and forth several times to complete his studies and manage the family businesses.

To streamline the agricultural business at home, Hans studied and ultimately built a free­-range barn for the cows. This new concept improved the quality of the milk. Sixty cows produced over 1,000 liters of milk per day, which was eventually sold to Swissair, Switzerland's national airline. Regarding the cropland, his goal was to have six fields, each with at least 10 acres, differing in dimensions from those in Kansas.

In the Summer of 1956, Hans met Doris Altwegg and her mother at a concert at the castle in Burglen. They got engaged a year later. On September 24, 1957, Hans and Doris married. Between 1958 and 1964, the family expanded to include two sons and two daughters.

Between 1964 and 1994, Hans was the President of Meyhall Group. He hired managers for the family businesses while serving as President of six companies located in four countries, in addition to holding five mandates on the boards of directors.

In the spirit of returning to his roots, Hans began purchasing farmland in Kansas in 1987 and hired a local farmer to tend to the land. In 1993, Hans and Doris built a home in Woodston, where they spent about three months per year. They both made many new friends in Kansas, and Hans became a partner with Jim Baird of the Baird Oil Company. Hans and, later, Markus spent many fantastic hours with Jim, learning about the oil business and exchanging thoughts on politics, world news, and Kansas land prices.

After Doris' passing, Hans lived on his own in Burglen and continued to travel to Kansas for several more years. While at home in Switzerland, he traveled by train regularly. Each morning started with stretching exercises and walks.

Last November, Hans celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends.

He is survived by his sons, Kaspar and Markus, his daughter, Barbara, numerous grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris, and his daughter, Susanna.

A Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, May 24, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 325 27 Road, Woodston. The inurnment was in Ash Rock Cemetery.