Obituary of Sara Kissel

Sara “Peggy” Ratzlaff Kissel was born August 25, 1916, and departed this life July 8, 2018.  Sara was one of 8 children born into the Henry Ratzlaff family home north of Minneola, KS. 

Her grade school years were spent walking with three of her siblings to the country school three miles from home.  Their job was to carry three buckets of water for school use.  Interesting to all of the extended family, was that German language was spoken in the Ratzlaff home until the two oldest children started school.  At that time, they all learned to speak English.  Mom (Sara) stated that although the sibling only spoke English, her dad continued to use the German language, especially late in the evening. 

She was a graduate from the Minneola high school.  During her school years, she excelled in getting honor roll grades, she loved competing in foot races and high jumps, in which she had blue ribbons for winning.  She taught herself how to play the piano and organ, she always played the gospel music.  The piano she owned for many years, now has a place in the Baptist church in Flagler, CO. 

During her senior year, she met her life partner Wayne Kissel.  He was a student at the Fowler High School in Kansas.  These two schools were rivals in all sports.  This was a competition that continued when they played dominos, pinochle, or checkers.  Even though she did not like to cook, the table was full of homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, and fried chicken with the best gravy ever. 

Her life centered around her family helping when she could.  She was great with math.  Working at the Limon Livestock sale barn, Limon Feedlot, and helping Pat at Loaf N Jug.  Her garden was large and canning was her joy.  Every fruit was canned along with the favorite sweet pickles.  She loved the yard, doing the mowing and weeding until about 5 years ago.  She held her driver’s license until her 100^th birthday with no tickets. 

Peggy loved to make the hand stitched quilts and crochet Afghans that are in many homes.  She continued to crochet until the last week she was with us.  Her sewing machine was where she enjoyed many hours making western shirts and dresses for back to school.  The ONE thing she did not like was horses, which is strange when it is a large part of her family.  She enjoyed all sports and continued following sports throughout her life especially football and baseball.  Watching her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren with their sports and different activities. 

Sara “Peggy” Ratzlaff and Wayne Kissel were married on April 2, 1936, at Sara’s family home Northwest of Minneola, Kansas and they were together for 70 years.  They started their married life on a farm west of Minneola.  From there they moved to Elbert, Colorado, where they had a dairy farm, that they milked by hand.  They moved to Kiowa, Colorado in 1947. 

Sara was raised in a Mennonite church.  Sara and her family attended the Mennonite church that their family helped build.  When they moved from Kansas, they kept their family in the churches where they lived.  They moved from Kiowa to Limon 1951 continuing to make Limon their home. 

After retirement, Wayne and Peggy made several trips for Limon Chrysler into the city picking up parts and made a lot of friends along the way. 

She is preceded in death by her husband Wayne Kissel, parents, Henry, Magdalena and Marie, brothers Elias Ratzlaff, Henry Ratzlaff, Arthur Ratzlaff, sisters; Anna Ratzlaff, Bertha Ratzlaff Hafner, and Rosa Ratzlaff Yardley, and son Doug Kissel. 

Peggy is survived by one brother Jim Ratzlaff and wife Shelia, of Olathe, KS.  Children; Patricia Page and husband Allen of Limon, CO, Steve Kissel of Madison, SD, Nadine Kissel of Limon, CO; grandchildren, Yvonne Kissel of Limon, CO, Chris Harrison and husband, Tom of Edgewater, CO, Sami Williams and husband Bill of Penrose, CO, Danell Hemel and husband Kegan of Atwood, KS. Great grandchildren; Taryn Harrison of Silverdale, WA, Nicole of Lakewood, CO, Rachael and Jason Vaira of Loveland, CO, Nikki, Mara, Lane, and Iean Hemel of Atwood, KS, and Wyatt Williams of Penrose, CO.  Great-Great Grandchildren, Brighid and Genevieve Vaira of Loveland, CO as well as lots of nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

Services handled by the Love Funeral Home in Limon, Colorado will be held Tuesday July 24, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at the Love Funeral Home Chapel in Limon, Colorado.  Burial following the service at the Pershing Memorial Cemetery in Limon, Colorado. 

Memorial contributions may be sent to Carla’s Cluster Care in Limon, Colorado or the Limon Ambulance Fund in Limon, Colorado.