New Ulm mourns Bohemian fire victims
July 9, 2011
NEW ULM - St. Mary's Catholic Church was packed past seating capacity Friday as hundreds of New Ulm residents turned out for the funeral service for the local victims of a fire that destroyed the Bohemian Bed and Breakfast July 2.
Dotted among the hundreds of people was a sea of people wearing blue shirts, as an act of solidarity for those lost.
The services were for Bohemian owner Bobbi McCrea and her two daughters, 15-year-old Abby Wood and 3-year-old Savannah McCrea. They were among six victims of last Saturday's blaze.
United Church of Christ (UCC) Pastor Hank Campbell, who was the victims' pastor, lead the service. He started by saying that it was a time to revel in the joy of having known Bobbi and the girls, as much as it was a time to mourn them.
"This is a time for tears and laugher," said Campbell.
He said Bobbi was a welcoming and creative spirit who introduced UCC to its first interpretive dance.
He said his favorite memory of Savannah was when she was performing as a sheep for a church play - she began to break from her role and prance around playfully.
"Maybe that was her first attempt at an interpretive dance," joked Campbell.
The service itself featured family members, likewise recounting fond memories of Bobbi, Abby and Savannah.
Bobbi's fiance, Charlie Zangl, shared his experience of when he discovered his love song for Bobbi. He said that he had heard a new song on the radio he though would be perfect for Bobbi, and he was so excited that he ran inside to tell her about it when he got home.
"She laughed and cried," said Zangl. "I don't know if she even liked it, but she loved how excited I was."
The song was "Hard to Concentrate" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Ramsey Hofmann, a cousin to the girls, shared her memories of Abbey, despite difficulty from crying.
"She was the best friend I could have ever had," said Hofmann. "I looked up to her because she literally towered over me. She could always find something good in any situation."
Hofmann had been with Abby the day prior to the fire and dropped her off at the Bohemian hours before the fire.
Bobbi's personality was so unique and impactful that even people she met for a brief time attended the funeral.
Christine Brandt, executive director of the Minnesota Association of Community Theatres, had stayed at the Bohemian on June 25, a week before the fire. She said Bobbi was a wonderful hostess and extremely interesting. She said the day she spent there was wonderful and that she particularly loved Savannah's playfulness.
"She made me promise to come back," said Brandt. "In just 24 hours, I felt like I had made a life-long friend. When I heard of the fire, I was absolutely devastated."
Brandt said she came the funeral to find closure with the woman that had touched her so much in so little time.
Blue Pride:
The mass occurrence of people wearing blue on Friday was the result of a Facebook event created by Rayn Desiree, a friend of Abby. The event lasted from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Friday, and it garnered more than 1,300 participants. The event states it was intended to honor the memory of Bobbi, Abby and Savannah.
Still looking for answers:
Although the names and cause of death has been released for those who perished in the fire, the cause of the fire itself is still under investigation.
Minnesota fire marshals are investigating the incident with the New Ulm Fire Department, despite the state Fire Marshal's office being closed due to the government shutdown. No date for the report's release has yet been set.
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