Kathryn “Kathy” Marie (Brelje) Ehlers, 68, of Glencoe, died Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016, at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.
Funeral services were held Monday, Oct. 24, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe with the Rev. Daniel Welch officiating. Dawn Wolter was the organist. Special music was by the First Evangelical Lutheran School children and the First Evangelical Lutheran Gospel Ringers, who performed “Jesus Loves Me.” Congregational hymns were “How Great Thou Art,” “Amazing Grace” and “On Eagle’s Wings.”
Honorary casket bearers were Jordan VanVickle, McKenzie Effertz, Izzy Ehlers, Carter Ehlers, Gavin Ehlers, Preston Ehlers and Hudson Ehlers. Casket bearers were Mark Aikala, Bonnie Hahn, Shelly Hallberg, Jeff Papke, Phil Kirchoff and Jenny Burns.
Interment was in the St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Helen Township, rural Glencoe.
Kathryn “Kathy” Marie (Brelje) Ehlers was born Dec. 11, 1947, in Glencoe, the daughter of Raymond and Leone (Quast) Brelje. She was baptized as an infant on Dec. 28, 1947, by the Rev. A.R. Streufert, and was confirmed in her faith as a youth on March 26, 1961, by the Rev. A.H. Fellwock, both at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. She received her education in Glencoe, graduating with the Glencoe High School class of 1965. She furthered her education by graduating in 1969 from Concordia College in St. Paul with a teaching degree.
On June 28, 1969, she was united in marriage to Jerome Ehlers by the Rev. M.S. Pohl at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. They made their home in Watertown and Green Isle until 1971, when they moved to the farm in rural Glencoe. Their marriage was blessed with three children, Julie, Jason and Jeremy. They shared over 47 years of marriage.
In addition to being a loving wife, mother and homemaker, Mrs. Ehlers was a teacher for one year in both Watertown and Green Isle, and then from 1981 to 2014 was the English teacher at First Evangelical Lutheran School. She was a lifelong and active member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe, where she served as president of the Altar Guild, was active as a choir director, was a bell ringer in the Gospel Ringers and was a youth group adviser. For many years, she was the assessor for Sibley County and also was a girls’ softball coach for First Evangelical Lutheran School and the 4-H team.
She and her husband loved sharing life together. Mrs. Ehlers enjoyed gardening, canning, baking, reading, counted cross stitch, playing cards, solitaire, fishing and camping with family, especially in South Dakota and California. She also loved the Minnesota Twins and music, including Elvis and Neil Diamond as her favorites. She treasured the time spent with family and friends, and would share herself by bringing food to others.
She is survived by her husband, Jerome Ehlers of Glencoe; children, Julie Ehlers (fiancé Doug Mackenthun) of Arlington, Jason (Charlene) Ehlers of Jordan and Jeremy (Karla) Ehlers of Lakeville; grandchildren, Jordan VanVickle of Hinckley, McKenzie Effertz of Arlington, Izzy Ehlers of Jordan and Carter, Gavin, Preston and Hudson Ehlers of Lakeville; sisters, Judy (Hal) Kirchoff of Crosby and Bev Wall of Alexandria; sisters-in-law, Cecilia (Bob) Aikala of Marquette, Michigan, and Sharon Papke of Glencoe; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Leone Brelje; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Elford and Mabel Ehlers; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Jeff Wall, Frank Papke, Aurelia and Stanley Larson and Jan Bruesehoff.
Arrangements were with the Johnson-McBride Funeral Chapel in Glencoe. Online obituaries and guest book are available at www.hantge.com [1].
Links:
[1] http://www.hantge.com
[2] http://www.glencoenews.com/category/section/obituaries