Ada Bogenhagen

May 30, 1926 - January 8, 2010

Ada Angelina Bogenhagen died Jan. 8, 2010. She was born May 30, 1926, in Ancona, Italy, to Andrea and Giovanna Cama. She was educated in Italy, and was an interpreter for the English during World War II. She put an ad in Molly Mayfield's column (like Ann Landers' column) in the Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Colo. After World War II, every Friday the column listed five people from around the world who wanted to be pen-pals with someone in the United States. Lyle Bogenhagen read all of listings, and saw one for a 22-year-old girl in Italy. He decided to write to Ada. At that time, Lyle lived in Cheyenne Wells, Colo. Ada received 39 responses, and from those chose to write to Lyle. Ada and Lyle corresponded for 14 months. After that, Lyle flew to Italy to meet Ada. Ada and her mother met Lyle at the Rome airport on Thanksgiving Day 1949. Ada and Lyle were married Dec. 11, 1949, in Ancona, Italy. Before marrying, Lyle had to join the Catholic Church and receive First Holy Communion. The married couple stayed one night in Venice, Italy, and then went to Zurich, Switzerland, for a two-week honeymoon. Lyle came back to Colorado, and Ada followed soon after, around Easter 1950. Ada studied for five years to become a U.S. citizen, through a program in Fort Collins, Colo. Ada and Lyle lived in Cheyenne Wells for 14 years, and then moved to Corvallis in 1964. They have four children. Ada is survived by her husband, Lyle; children, Andrew, Giovanna Gellatly, Charles, and Elizabeth Davis; two grandchildren, Paul Gellatly and Angela Hahn; two great-grandchildren, Ryder and Emma; and also brother Carlo Cama and sister Maria Pea Cama. Ada was very involved in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Corvallis. Ada and Lyle attended many functions together over the last 45 years. Ada loved to travel. She went to Italy six times, and to the Holy Land and many places in Europe, as well as traveling in the U.S. Ada enjoyed gardening, baking (at which she was wonderful), painting and sewing. Ada made the altar cloth for the 24-hour Adoration Chapel at St. Mary's Church. Ada and Lyle were part of a group that started the chapel. The Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at St. Mary's. A funeral Mass is set for 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at St. Mary's, celebrated by the Rev. John Henderson. Interment will be in Ancona, Italy.