Mary Ann (nee Rachel) Koehnke, age 78, of Burlington, passed away on Monday, Dec. 25, 2017, with family by her side
She was born on Oct. 18, 1939, to Christian and Elsie (nee Haustetter) Rachel in Burlington. She spent her life in Burlington and attended Burlington High School. She furthered her education at the Racine-Kenosha Teacher College in Union Grove.
On July 16, 1966 she married Kenneth Koehnke at Plymouth Congregational Church. Mary Ann worked at Allen-Bradley in Milwaukee until she had children. She was a devoted homemaker and best mom ever. Once her kids were school age she worked part time for Wayne J. Christman, CPA and McMahon-Veltus. Mary Ann was a long time member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burlington. She was an active member in starting the youth group, Lutheran Girl Pioneers, and a long time leader for the group. After her husband Ken retired they spent many years traveling in their motorhome through the United States and Canada, often taking their motorcycle and exploring the country. They enjoyed traveling with close friends and family. They also enjoyed quick trips to nearby casinos and visiting friends around Wisconsin. Mary Ann was insistent that they eat out for breakfast every day. They enjoyed many local restaurant breakfast menus.
Mary Ann was a wonderful and strong lady, always kind and content, never complaining. She battled and survived thyroid cancer, leukemia, breast cancer and esophageal cancer in the past 30 years. Her courageous fight to live and enjoy life ended peacefully.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 51 years, Ken; three children, Rachel (Mike) Loppnow, Heidi Tiedt, Theodore (Jody) Koehnke; her ten grandchildren, Dane and Karl Loppnow, Cru Stubley, Hegeman, Malik, Ezekiel, and Porter Tiedt, and RaeLee, Zayne, and Brecker Koehnke. She is further survived by the late Egan Rachel family, the Ellsworth (Bud) Koehnke family, the late Donald Koehnke family, the June (Ron) Winkelman family, the Robert Koehnke family, and the Richard Koehnke family and many loved and dear extended family members.
She was preceded in death by her son Karl Edwin Koehnke; grandson Reed Koehnke Loppnow; parents Christian and Elsie Rachel; brother Egan Rachel, sister-in-law Cleo Sydow; mother-in-law Ann (Baumeister) Bender; fathers-in-law Ellsworth Koehnke, Wallace Subrod, and Leon (Pete) Bender; brother-in-law Donald Koehnke; and sister-in-law Mary Kay Koehnke.
Memorials are suggested to St. John’s Lutheran School or Wisconsin Lutheran College.
The family would like to thank Doctors David Taylor, Fouad Husnain, and Malik Bandealy, the health care workers at Aurora Hospital of Burlington, the staff at The Bay at Burlington and West Allis Memorial Hospital for their wonderful care and compassion along this journey.
Services for Mary Ann will be held Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018 at 7 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church with Rev. Daniel Waldschmidt presiding. Visitation for family and friends will be at church on Tuesday, Jan. 2 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Burial will be Wednesday, Jan. at 10 a.m. at Burlington Cemetery.
Schuette-Daniels Funeral Home is serving the family. Well-wishers may visit www.danielsfamilyfuneral.com
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