Marjorie Draehn

Marjorie Ann Meyer Draehn, 85, of Brenham, Texas, passed away on August 5, 2023. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at Memorial Oaks Chapel in Brenham, TX. Funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Brenham, TX. Burial will follow in the Calvary Cemetery in Brenham, TX.

Marjorie was born on April 4, 1938 in Brenham, Texas, to parents Glenn Neilan and Odelia (Jozwiak) Meyer. She was baptized on April 10, 1938 at St. Mary's Catholic Church and confirmed on October 16, 1949 also at St. Mary's Catholic Church. She was united in marriage to Willie Draehn, Jr. on November 6, 1954 at St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Marjorie was a lifetime and very devoted member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. She was involved with the church's Polish Heritage Festival and spent many hours over several weeks each year making kluski, pierogies and czarnina. She also researched and documented the Catholic cemetery histories in Brenham. She attended St. Mary's Parochial School and Brenham High School. She was a member of the Parish Council of Catholic Women, a member of the Houston chapter of the Polish Genealogical Society of Texas, the Texas German Society group of Brenham, German-Texan Heritage Society, and a charter member of the Washington County Genealogical Society. In December 1995, Marjorie received the honor of becoming a member of the Dr. Richard Fox Brenham chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Marjorie was very proud to be the great-great-great granddaughter of Friedrich Ernst and Louise Augusta (Weber) Ernst, founders of Industry, Texas and the first permanent German settlers in Texas.

Marjorie was a people person. She loved helping others and had a lot of friends and was proud of her Polish and German heritage. She was a devoted housewife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She shared special joy and love with her grandchildren, as her family always came first in her life. Looking at pictures and videos of her great-grandchildren brought her much joy in her last few years. Her face would light up when she saw her family.

Marjorie was well known as an avid fan of Elvis. She had a large collection of Elvis memorabilia and enjoyed many trips with her son William to Graceland in Memphis.

Marjorie LOVED butterflies - if she saw a piece of clothing with a butterfly on it, she bought it and wore it. If it was a trinket or knickknack, she also bought it and displayed it in her home. She also was known for her love of bright colors - her outfits were always color coordinated including jewelry and shoes.

Marjorie loved to walk in the neighborhood to get exercise. She also loved to go riding in the car - it didn't really matter where she went but she just loved to go riding out in the country. Before her son William suddenly passed away in 2006, they would always make a point to go riding together. All of her family would take her riding whenever they could as she enjoyed it so very much. She was known around town as the older lady with the bun who drove the yellow Mustang (which had belonged to William).

Her hobbies were many - woodworking, arts and crafts, sewing, restoring antique furniture, painting birds, yard work, caring for her pet birds, doves and chickens. Marjorie loved to draw and paint. She was very creative and was self-taught in just about everything that she did.

Marjorie's favorite hobby was genealogy. She became an expert at it and was called upon by many people to help with researching their ancestry. She would never turn anyone down who asked for help. She also wrote more than 50 genealogical articles that were published in the Brenham Banner Press from 1999 -2003. She had a 10th grade education but you would have never known this from her writings or her other successes.

Although Marjorie never graduated from high school, she was very successful. She worked for her family at Broecker Woodwork Shop from 1973 through 1979. She owned and operated Thisit Woodproducts, a surveyor supply shop, with her husband from 1979 through 1990. She then began working at Hart's Cleaners until 1992 so she could further expand her laundry business, The Shirt Shop. She was self-employed in this business starting in 1959. She was always employed doing more than one job at any given time. She also was the bookkeeper for various family businesses over the years.

Marjorie was a longtime member of the local Alzheimer's Support Group in Brenham in which she helped others to cope with their caregiving duties from their loved ones. She would later know that she was suffering herself from dementia.

Marjorie is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Patrick and Melissa Draehn; her daughter LaFayne Draehn and Glenn Roberts; her dear sister Glennette Broecker; much loved grandchildren include Kourtney and Lee Neumann, Hannah and Cooper Baxter, Mitchell Draehn and fiancé Hailey Smith, and Sarah Littleton and special friend Hunter Pieper; great-grandchildren Karlee Kay Neumann, Casen Wyatt Baxter and Mason Wayne Pieper. Brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Gene and Joann Draehn, Lee and Hanne Draehn, Dianne and Ted Sager, Allan Draehn, Evelyn Draehn, Deloris Draehn, and Geraldine Rybarski, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her son, William Boyd Draehn, her husband Willie Draehn, Jr., her parents Glenn and Odelia Meyer, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Donald (Butch) Broecker, Lillie Mae and Willie Schmidt, Roger and Joyce Draehn, Glen (Pete) and Margaret Draehn, Elwood Draehn, Alvin (Jimmy) Draehn, Luther Draehn, and Edward Rybarski; and nephews Russell Draehn and Roy Schmidt.

Pallbearers are John Hasskarl, Stephen Stuckert, Rodney Foerster, Tom Brady, Mark Schubert, Darrell Schmidt, Royce Draehn and TJ Martinez.

Memorials in memory of Marjorie Draehn can be given to St. Mary's Catholic Church.