On Saturday, June 15, 2024, Julanne Boekelheide Leff, surrounded by her loving family, left this life and headed toward something new.
Julanne was born on June 25, 1934, in Milbank, S.D. She was the daughter of George and Ferne Boekelheide and the responsible, older sister to her squirrelly brother, Jim, just two years her junior. Theirs was a close-knit, civic-minded household filled with laughter, love, music and intense family card games.
In the summer after Julanne’s junior year in high school, the Boekelheide family was blessed with (and surprised by) the birth of a third child, Jeanne. For Julanne, who adored babies, Jeanne was a delightful gift, and while her mother recovered from post-partum complications, Julanne willingly stepped into the role of second mom to her infant sister.
By nature, Julanne was not one to seek the spotlight; she was comfortable behind the scenes, happy to let others take center stage. But in school, as in life, Julanne’s talents, kindness and intellect could not go unnoticed and the spotlight followed her anyway. Just thumb through the 1952 Milbank High School yearbook and you’ll find a long list of accomplishments next to her glowing senior photo: “ASB President, Homecoming Queen, Yearbook Editor, Class Play Director, National Honors Society, Merry Stenos,” and nearly a dozen different choirs and band clubs.
Julanne attended Yankton College where she acquired a triple major in English, French and German, as well as the avid attention of a starry-eyed, big-hearted pre-med major named Wenzel Leff. The two small-town kids married in 1954 and set off together with dreams of building a family and a medical practice together.
First stop on their journey was medical school at Washington University in St. Louis. While Wenzel attended classes to earn his MD, Julanne worked to keep them afloat: as a secretary at the med school by day, as a hotel desk clerk by night, and as a source of love and support for her frazzled husband round the clock. During this busy time, Julanne and Wenzel welcomed their first two daughters, Lori and Lissa, into the world just 20 months apart.
After graduation, the young family moved to Detroit, where Wenzel completed his residency and their third daughter, Julie, was born. Once his residency was complete, the crew made their way to Mt. Pleasant, Mich, and Wenzel officially began practicing medicine. It was in Mt. Pleasant that — following the deaths of her dear parents, Ferne and George — Julanne’s now-13-year-old sister Jeanne came to live with them.
With kids starting school and a medical career underway, Julanne and Wenzel looked for the perfect place to put down roots. In 1965, the family packed up their station wagon and headed to Pullman, a small welcoming college community, where they immediately expanded their family with the birth of their son, Jim.
In Pullman, Julanne assisted her husband as he opened his medical practice and tried his hand at developing real estate. Wenzel’s extroverted, big-idea approach to life coupled with Julanne’s calm, grounded, get-it-done approach proved a successful combination. Julanne, always a whiz with numbers and details, managed all the medical bookkeeping and business finances thrown her way — a more-than-full-time job which she performed expertly for decades.
In 1971, a final daughter, Amy, was added to the mix and, in addition to keeping up with her husband’s boundless business ideas and endless energy, Julanne managed to raise her five, very active children and younger sister without missing a beat. She liked to say that the best thing about being a mother is getting to grow your own best friends, and Julanne nurtured each of her children for the individuals they were. She instilled in them the importance of being there for one another and the closeness of her children was a great source of joy for her throughout her life.
Beyond family, Julanne valued friendships and community immensely. Outside of home and work, Julanne was an active member of the community, belonging to PEO, Kappa Alpha Theta, Washer Women, Bridge Club and more. In her 70s, she and three dear friends formed the KGB — the Kahlua-Guzzling Babes — a group dedicated to bragging about grandkids, laughing about life, and toasting the importance of humor and enduring friendships.
Julanne’s light was a special one. It was calm, strong, and constant and she shone it generously on all those she loved. Some of her happiest times were spending time with her kids and grandkids at the family lake cabin in Idaho, playing cards, singing songs and watching as new generations of best friends took shape.
She leaves behind her husband and best friend, Wenzel; her five loving children — Lori, Lissa, Julie, Jim and Amy — and their spouses; her 10 amazing grandchildren; her sweet sister, Jeanne; her dear brother Jim; as well as a lifetime of beloved friends.
A celebration of Julanne’s life will be held later this year. Corbeill Funeral Home of Pullman is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to corbeillfuneralhomes.com.
