TRACY -- Dr. Louis Bohn, the namesake of Louis Bohn Elementary, will be leaving his favorite school behind.

Bohn, 92, and his wife Elizabeth are moving to Salt Lake City to be closer to family, but not before Tracy's school family wishes them a warm good-bye.

Louis Bohn retired in 1983 from the district job of assistant superintendent for personnel, but he and his wife have stayed close to the district.

"We are going to miss him dearly," said Charmaine Aranda who has worked at Louis Bohn Elementary since it opened in 1992. "Both Mr. and Mrs. Bohn are irreplaceable and have been the heart behind this school. They have helped build our library from all the books they've donated and taken time to read to the children here. We are truly going to miss them."

The district and the school will host a going-away party for alumni, current students and family and members of the community from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday at Bohn Elementary's library, 350 E. Mount Diablo Ave,

Louis Bohn Elementary opened in the fall 1992 and the Bohns have been a constant presence ever since and have been instrumental in a plethora of school activities from back-to-school nights to 5th grade promotions.

"It's hard to explain how much this has meant to me," said Louis Bohn. "I'm always happy to be around the young people at this school and it has really enriched my life in many ways. I am so thankful to have had this and feel very humbled to have had a

Sharon Carlson, a former president of the Tracy school board, got to be the bearer of that good news.

"I remember making that phone call to Dr. Bohn to tell him the news of the school being named after him," she said. "Dr. Louis Bohn was a big help in the school district and also in the community. I was very happy to have been able to make that excited call to him."

Bohn has an extensive background in the educational field that dates back to 1948 when he started as a high school science teacher in Texas. Bohn went on to become an elementary school principal for a period of four years and then received a fellowship at the University of Texas to work on his doctoratae.

In 1958, the Bohns briefly moved to Bolivia and then on to the Dominican Republic where. Louis Bohn worked as an educational advisor.

In the 1960s the Bohns arrived in California, where Louis Bohn found work again as an elementary school principal in the Lincoln Elementary School District. Four years later, in 1964, the Bohns moved to Tracy where Louis Bohn got the job of director of instruction.

"I was actually working at that position during the day and from 7 to 10 p.m. at night I was working as principal over at the adult school," he said.

Over the span of five decades, Bohn has worked as a teacher, principal, educational advisor, director of instruction, assistant superintendent for instruction, acting superintendent and assistant superintendent for personnel. Although he retired in 19083, Bohn has kept busy with the youth in the community.

"He has been so active on our campus," said Tammy Christensen, principal of Bohn Elementary. "When we heard he was leaving, the staff here got together and really wanted to show their appreciation. We are all going to miss him and his wife."

"I think the thing I will miss the most is the feeling I get when I walk on to the campus each time," said Louis Bohn. "I always get such a friendly reception from the kids, staff and parents there. It always lifted my spirits."

Reach correspondent Anne Marie Fuller at www.annemarietv@juno.com.