David Lee "Dave" Boelman

David Lee Boelman, 54, of Des Moines, died at home on November 17, 2025, surrounded by family after a long fight with cancer.

Dave was born on October 7, 1971, in St. Joseph, Missouri, to parents Robert (Bob) and Hyla Thompson Rash Boelman. He spent his formative years in Waterloo and Aplington, Iowa, and graduated from Aplington High School in 1990. During high school, he actively participated in athletics, played trumpet in the band, sang in the chorus, and contributed as a member of the state speech contest improv team.

Dave graduated with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. He started his professional journey in public accounting at Mossbach-Griffith in Cedar Rapids, and later worked at Ernst & Young in Des Moines.

After leaving public accounting, Dave worked as Controller at SHAZAM Financial Services before venturing into business ownership. Along with his business partner, Jason Shaw, he founded Boelman Shaw, a tax and financial planning firm based in West Des Moines, Iowa. Together, they expanded the company over many years until Dave sold his share of the business in 2024.

Dave's passion for comedy led him to participate in local open mic events, gradually establishing himself as a dedicated advocate for the Des Moines comedy community. Through his involvement in comedy, Dave built a robust network of connections both locally and nationally. Together with AJ Simmons, Dave acquired TeeHee's Comedy Club in downtown Des Moines, creating a welcoming environment for national performers and emerging local comedians to develop their skills and entertain audiences. In 2024, TeeHee's closed its current venue to explore larger spaces in Des Moines to support anticipated growth; however, this expansion was subsequently put on hold due to Dave's illness.

Dave had many interests, including collecting sports cards and bourbon, owning unique art pieces, and passionately supporting the Iowa Hawkeyes and Pittsburgh Steelers. In his mid-30s, he worked as an assistant boys' basketball coach at Des Moines North and Des Moines Roosevelt high schools. Through basketball, Dave became the guardian of Peter Odia after Peter moved from Nigeria to the US at age 15. Their bond has remained strong, with Peter continuing to be a valued member of the Boelman family.

Dave was admired for his sharp wit, sense of humor, and genuine ability to make everyone feel included and appreciated. He quietly supported many friends and colleagues through life's challenges, always offering a listening ear without expecting anything in return. Passionate about entrepreneurship, Dave took pride in helping others start small businesses, frequently serving as an advisor or investor. Simply put, Dave was one of a kind and will be deeply missed.

Dave is survived by his brother, Curt, of Des Moines, his son Peter (Madison), of Ankeny, his pride and joy, granddaughter Talea Hyla, his special friend, Shylah Kay, and numerous friends and business colleagues. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Hyla, and his paternal and maternal grandparents.

Private services took place in Des Moines on Friday, November 18. In honor of Dave's appreciation for comedy, a celebration of life is scheduled for Sunday, December 14. The event, titled "Dave's Last Encore," will be held from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM at West End Salvage, located at 22 9th Street, Des Moines. Additional information is available at https://www.celebratingdave.com/.

The family thanks the teams at University of Iowa Health Care Mission Cancer & Blood, Iowa Methodist Medical Center Oncology (Powell Tower Floor 3), Unity Point Palliative Care, Every Step Hospice, and Infinity Home Care for their compassionate care of Dave. They are also grateful to everyone-family, friends, and business associates-who visited, offered support, and sent well wishes and prayers during Dave's cancer journey.

Online condolences are welcome at www.ilescares.com