EMMA RUPPEL BUHRKE FOWLER
February 16, 1913 - March 14, 2015
Emma Ruppel Buhrke Fowler was born February 16th, 1913 in Saginaw, Michigan. Emma was the eighth of ten children born to Karl and Anna Ruppel. Three siblings, Karl, Anna, and David, died as infants. Six other siblings, Amelia, John, Elizabeth, Fred, Henry, and Reinhold, also preceded her in death. Emma was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Saginaw, Michigan for 57 years where she was baptized and confirmed. After retiring, she was a founding member of Mountain View Lutheran Church in Apache Junction, Arizona. Her final church home was Family of Christ Lutheran Church in Monument, Colorado.
Emma attended Holy Cross Lutheran School as a child. She later attended South Junior High and Arthur Hill High School. She was a waitress at the Saginaw Club and a homemaker.
Emma married Alfred Buhrke on February 23rd, 1935 in Holy Cross Church where Alfred was a Lutheran school teacher. They were both very active in church activities. They had two children, a son Bruce in 1946 and a daughter Ruth Ann in 1951. The Buhrke’s enjoyed many outdoor activities including camping, boating, and fishing. Em also liked to garden. After retirement, they divided their time between homes in West Branch, Michigan and Apache Junction, Arizona. Em and Al were married for 48 years before Al passed away in 1983.
Emma married Chester Fowler on May 21, 1987 in Snowflake, Arizona. They enjoyed square dancing, playing cards, and church activities. In 2005 Em and Chet moved from Apache Junction, Arizona to Colorado Springs, Colorado to live with Em’s daughter, Ruth Ann. Chet developed Alzheimer’s disease and passed away in 2009. They were married 21 years.
Emma spent the remainder of her life reading, traveling, and visiting her family. Her greatest joys were her grandchildren Kyle Olson, Jennifer Buhrke Schultz, and Joel Buhrke and her great grandchildren Andrew, Sam, Caroline, and Phillip Olson and Jack and Lily Schultz. She also loved all her nieces, nephews and their families. She always felt at home when she was with them. Emma also became close friends with the Murray family in Taylorsville, Mississippi. She was fortunate to be in their company during her last days. Emma died March 14th 2015 at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
There will be a memorial service this summer in Saginaw, Michigan. Her ashes will be buried in Saginaw at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Memorials are to be given to Family of Christ Lutheran Church, 675 W. Baptist Rd., Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80921, and directed to the music program.
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