Douglas Ann Bohman

Dougie was born December 6, 1932, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to Ernest and Grace (Peebles) Watson. She and her older brother, John (Jock), were raised in New York City. Her mother fell ill and died in 1938 at the age of 33. Her dad was a musician and composer and realized he didn’t live a lifestyle suited to raising two children. Great fortune struck when they were adopted by their loving aunt and uncle, Louis and Gladys Boutin, and moved to St. David’s, PA. Dougie graduated from the Baldwin School in 1951. Her brother Jock tragically passed away that summer at the age of 23 while on leave from the army after serving in the Korean War. Dougie once again dusted herself off and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, class of 1955, with a degree in Physical Therapy.

While at Penn, she met the love of her life, Raynard F. Bohman, Jr., and they married in September 1955. After fulfilling Ray’s post-graduation ROTC obligations in Williamsburg, VA, they moved to Ray’s hometown of Gardner, MA. While vacationing on Cape Cod in the summer of 1966, they fell in love with Chatham and promptly purchased a home to raise their three boys.

Besides her family, Dougie had three passions: healthcare, the town of Chatham, and golf. She worked as a physical therapist into her early 80s, working most of her career with industry pioneer Lucy Buckley at Rehabilitation Associates of Cape Cod, covering patients from Yarmouth to Provincetown. She had a warm touch, could always coax a smile from even her most challenging patients, and found her work as a PT immensely rewarding.

She was first elected to the town of Chatham Board of Selectman in 1993 after 12 years on the Finance Committee. She proudly served on the select board for 15 years and ultimately became the first female chairman of the town of Chatham’s Board of Selectmen. Dougie never operated with a political agenda but instead was guided by her sense of fairness and respect for all. Her campaign office was Larry’s PX. A plaque in her honor was placed on the Mitchell River Bridge as a tribute to her 30+ years of service to Chatham.

Three of Dougie’s four grandparents were born in Scotland, so it is no wonder she was a fiercely independent thinker, loved a hardy laugh, and was naturally drawn to the game of golf. Ray and Dougie joined Eastward Ho! in the spring of 1967, and it became her home away from home when she was not working. She loved the camaraderie and the joy of chasing her ball up and down Eastward Ho!’s hills. She was a three-time club champion, one of the first females to serve on the Club’s Board of Governors, and a founding Chatham Paddle Tennis Association member. She was most proud of the many friendships she made through golf and the love for the game she passed along to her sons and grandchildren.

Douglas Ann Bohman was predeceased by her husband, Raynard Bohman, her son, Andrew, and daughter-in-law, Linda (Wade) Bohman. She is survived by her sons David of Jupiter, FL, and Jack and his wife Sally (Munson) of Chatham. She was the proud grandmother of grandsons Mackenzie of Chatham and Lane of Denver, CO, and granddaughters Adrianna and Alexis, both of NYC.

No services are planned at this time. For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com. Donations in memoriam may be sent to the Chatham Fire and Rescue, 135 Depot Road, Chatham, MA 02633