Doerthe Needham

Doerthe Needham was born on April 13, 1929, in Queens, N.Y., to Magda  and Ludwig Boehmer.Her parents immigrated to America from Germany at different times, met in Queen and married, making her percent German born in America. She enjoyed reading, math, swimming and competitive sailing where she met her future husband on Little Neck Bay. She graduated from High School in Queens then Goucher College with a four year early education degree in 1950. She married Basil Arthur Needham Jr. (aka Boomer) on Oct. 13, 1951, at Zion Episcopal Church in Douglas Manor, Queens.She had four children by 1958. She taught pre-school at the local church, including teaching all her children, until the family moved to Atlanta in 1970.

She was president of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) at New York City Public School 98 during the 1960’s teacher strike and proud to have minimized time off from school for impacted children and teachers. Family was her anchor through her childhood and rearing her four children at home and during annual camping trips on the east coast. Doerthe lived in Queens, N.Y., Atlanta, Ga., Columbia, S.C., Reston, Va., Calabash, N.C., and finally  in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Her adult hobbies included ballroom dancing with Boomer, tennis, sailing, swimming, golf, reading, crossword puzzles, gardening, weather tracking, anything on the beach and entertaining. She always followed the rules and made sure her husband’s needs were her top priority. After leaving New York, she volunteered at women’s clubs, the local library, gardening clubs and the Episcopal Church. She and Boomer’s 50th wedding anniversary Rhine River Trip occurred when America was attacked on Sep. 11, 2001, causing locals to open their hearts even more until they returned to Newark once air traffic was opened back up.

She enjoyed cooking her family’s favorite meals when they visited and devouring anything seafood, especially lobster, chocolate, ice cream and cleaning her plate. Doerthe leaves behind her brother, Peter; brother-in-law, Robert Needham; sister-in-law Joan P. Needham; four children, Peter, Basil, Dirk and Priscilla; seven grand-children, Bryon, Sean, Stephanie, Scott, Kelley, Cameron and Kristen; three great-grandchildren, Ethan, Emmit and Katherine (aka Kit)); along with nine nieces and nephews, Thomas, Jeff, Jonathan, Kris, Louisa, Tim, Cynthia, Richard and Todd. She is now reunited with her husband, parents, sisters- in-law, and the rest of the family, friends and pets.

A private memorial service will be held in Shelter Island, New York, at a later date where she and Boomer will be laid to rest.

A guest book is available at leefhandcrematory.com.

Lee Funeral Home and Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach is serving the family.