Obituary of Elsa Kerksiek

Elsa Kerksiek passed away peacefully on March 31, 2012 at the Prairie Creeks Assisted Living Center in Strasburg, Colorado. She was 93 years of age. Elsa Eichmann was born on June 9, 1918 on the family farm near Trego Center, Kansas, the 3rd of 14 children. She grew up in the Smoky Hill River area, attending Benish School and later Mt. Pleasant School near Brownell, KS. As young women her age did, she hired out to do housework for the neighbors until she met William “Bill” Kerksiek. They were married by a Justice of the Peace on August 19, 1939, in Wakeeney, KS. Their honeymoon was the trip to Colorado where Bill had purchased an irrigated farm. The rest of the honeymoon was spent hoeing sugar beets and pinto beans. They later moved to a farm 15 miles north of Strasburg, raised four children, and engaged in farming potatoes, pinto beans, wheat, hay, barley and corn. Livestock included pigs, cattle and chickens. They lived there from 1943 to 1983 when they purchased a home in Strasburg. Elsa is survived by children Charlotte Kerksiek of Strasburg, F. W. “Bill” Kerksiek and JoAnn of Strasburg, Karen Kerksiek of Denver, and Mary Lewis and Clyde of Strasburg. Brothers still living are Paul Eichmann of Quinter, KS, Herman Eichmann of Waverly Hall. GA, and Thel Authur Eichmann of Woodland Hills, CA. Sisters still living are Leah Meyers of Greeley, CO, Elma Helwig of Greensberg, KS, Martha Stegman of Ransom, KS. She was preceded in death by her husband William “Bill” Kerksiek of Strasburg, sisters Rosa Snodgrass of Bucklin, KS, Bertha Yanda of Quinter, KS, Frieda Colberg of Ellis, KS, Clara Halbleib of Wakeeney KS, Wanda Stramel of Oakley, KS, and brothers Raymond Eichmann of York, Nebraska, and William Eichmann who died a few days after birth. Four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren also survive.