Ernestine Kieke

Our family''s Matriarch, Ernestine Jahnke Kieke, was called to Eternal Life on May 1, 2014, just two months shy of her 99th birthday. She was welcomed to her heavenly home by her husband of 72 years, Fred Andrew Kieke, her parents, August and Fannie Pearl Warden Jahnke, along with her three beloved sisters, Annie Mae Engelage, Louise Stueber Akin and Barbara Joyce Muery. A faithful helpmate to Fred, devoted homemaker, beautician, wonderful cook, an avid reader and learner, a novice artist, a passionate supporter of her daughters'' and grandchildren''s activities do little to define who she was in this life – a lady, always alady, a caring, loving, and giving person who always thought of others before herself and who had an amazing gift to always look forward – never back and to move forward, and not be still. Those who will miss her most are her daughters and sons-in-law: Sandra and Edgar Schwartz and Sharon and Donald Winkelmann, all of Brenham; Naw Kieke will also be missed by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Rebecca, Tim, Madeline, and Caleb Buchanan of Aledo; Tina, Ron, Joshua and Aliyah Ahasan of Spring Branch; Robert, Brandi, Emma and Andrew Schwartz of Brenham; Adrienne, Jerremy, Lydia, Jackson and Brody Guthrie of Seabrook; Chris, Tina, Will, Eric, Alysse, Jordan, Tomas, and Tristan Winkelmann of Boyertown, PA, and Tara, Lamar, and Kayleigh White of The Woodlands. Her grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Special neighbors, John and Susie Bilski and Christine Green, an employee at Brenham Rest Home, who affectionately called Ernestine "her baby", will be honorary pallbearers. Because our Mom spent her last 3 ½ years at Brenham Rest Home, we wish to thank them for their unending love, affection, and care. Their many acts of kindness will never be forgotten. Also, a special thanks to Dr. William Loesch and Aubrey Eickenhorst and their staff. In celebration of her blessed life, friends and family are invited to attend both a family visitation on Friday, May 2 from 5-7 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Chapel and a funeral service on May 3, beginning at 10 a.m. at Eben-Ezer Lutheran Church of Berlin with Pastor Ken Weiss officiating. Burial will be in Prairie Lea Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Eben-Ezer Lutheran Church or Hospice Brazos Valley. In the weeks before her death, Mom reassured us that she was not scared, worried, sad, or fearful…just happy. So her family shares the blessed assurance that her happiness is now turned to perfect joy. Funeral arrangements for Ernestine Jahnke Kieke are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.