Copyright Chicago Tribune
During more than 12 years as a member of the Leyden High School Dist. 212 School Board, Sandra Boehm worked to give students at the near west suburban district’s two high schools opportunities to enrich their educational experiences, with a particular emphasis on fine arts, according to her colleagues. “Sandy was always a bright ray of sunshine,” said fellow board member Lisa Anthony, who also is the director of human resources and operations for the village of Franklin Park. “She was very interested in and dedicated to the students. She was a huge advocate for the fine arts, and she wanted to make sure that those programs were and continue to be successful.” Boehm, 68, died of organ failure on Oct. 10 at Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital, peacefully surrounded by her family, said her husband of 40 years, Kenneth. She had been a Franklin Park resident since 1989, and previously had lived in Melrose Park. Born Sandra Szybowicz in Chicago, Boehm grew up in the Northwest Side Dunning neighborhood. She graduated from Steinmetz High School and then worked for about a decade for the U.S. Social Security Administration. She then began a long career working her way up to office manager for various State Farm insurance offices, including in Chicago, Des Plaines and Glencoe. She retired from that work in 2022. Having sent four daughters to high school in Dist. 212, Boehm long had been involved in school activities. In addition, three of Boehm’s four daughters are elementary school teachers. A Dist. 212 board vacancy in 2013 prompted the board’s president to come to the Boehms’ house to ask her to consider joining the board, Boehm’s husband said. “She was very honored,” her husband said. “She wanted to give back because the high school was so good to our daughters.” Boehm was appointed to the board in 2013, and voters elected Boehm to a full term in 2015. She was re-elected to the board in 2019 and 2023. “She really liked seeing what the music department was doing, in terms of the concerts and the holiday dinners, and she really supported them, getting new uniforms and passing budgets that allowed the kids to experience the kinds of things that we got to experience when we were there,” said her daughter, Cassy Boehm. Boehm also built a reputation for being extremely supportive of Dist. 212’s educators. “She just loved supporting the teachers and she was always so impressed with the different things the teachers did and the experiences they created for the students, and all of the things that the students were able to do,” said her daughter, Katy Boehm. “Her favorite part of School Board meetings was when there were presentations highlighting different groups of teachers and students. She really loved to see all of that — her face really lit up when she heard about all those things.” While serving on the Dist. 212 board, Boehm regularly teamed up with Anthony to mentor the board’s student members. At any given time, the board has two student members — one from East Leyden High School in Franklin Park, and one from West Leyden High School in Northlake. “We tried to make sure they knew what was going on, and we tried to make them feel comfortable,” Anthony said. “It can be intimidating (for them).” Dist. 212 board member Jim Lima called Boehm “a very strong board member who was not afraid to get involved in conversation” and noted that she “always had a huge smile and a very big heart.” “She was a true friend and was never afraid to ask questions,” he said. “She served with dignity and integrity. Our board motto in our boardroom says, ‘What’s best for the kids.’ And she was very proud to stand behind that statement while serving the community as well in any decisions that were made.” In a published comment, Dist. 212 Supt. Nick Polyak wrote that Boehm “leaves an amazing legacy through her service on the Leyden High School Board of Education. Our students’ lives are better because of her, and we thank her family for sharing her time, her leadership and her laughter with all of us.” Outside of her time on the board, Boehm enjoyed doing anything with her four daughters, as well as with her 1-year-old grandson. “(Her grandson) was the light of her life,” Katy Boehm said. “And she accepted everybody — she made everybody feel safe. Our house was the house that all our friends came to. Mom wasn’t just Mom to the four of us, she was Mom to so many of her friends, who still have called her Mom.” Boehm’s daughters noted that she also loved gardening and cooking. “She loved to watch Lifetime and Hallmark movies,” Cassy Boehm said. “And really, she just loved intimate gatherings with family and friends. She liked to take everything in — there were times where she would be part of the fun, and she also loved to sit back and watch everyone mingling.” In addition to her husband and daughters, Boehm is survived by two other daughters, Suzy Boehm and Kim Rose; a grandson, Brooks Rose; a brother, Steve Szybowicz; a stepbrother, Mark Galuszka; and a sister-in-law, Cyndi Boehm. A visitation was Oct. 18. Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
