Pearlie Harmel

Pearlie Ponfick Harmel, 86, of Burton, passed away peacefully on October 12, 2010 in St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan. Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, October 15, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. in St. Paul''s Lutheran Church of Rehburg. Pastor Steve Cox will officiate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends and relatives from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Thursday evening in Foehner Funeral Home. Pearlie was born Feb. 7, 1924 in Carmine, Texas to Waldermore and Emma Sommerfeld Ponfick. She was baptized in Martin Luther Lutheran Church of Carmine, and was later confirmed in the same church. Pearlie was educated in Carmine area schools. On February 24, 1946, she married Harding Albert Harmel in St. John''s United Church of Christ in Burton by Rev. Knicker. In 1949, she and her husband began a business, Harmel''s Meat Market in Burton. Pearlie was a homemaker who enjoyed cooking, and was well known for her baking, especially homemade Banana Nut Cake with cream cheese icing. She was very faithful in taking homemade coffee cake and bananas to the local nursing homes. Pearlie was known as Nanny or Nanny Pearlie. She loved spending time with all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She often greeted her grandkids off the bus with their special treats of homemade bread and cheese. She truly loved playing bingo, plus cards and dominoes. She was a member of St. Paul''s Lutheran Church of Rehburg as well as the Burton Fire Dept. Auxiliary. She was a blessing and will be truly missed by her family and all who knew her. Survivors include sons Michael Harmel, and Douglas Harmel and wife Debbie of Burton; daughter and son-in-law Janis and Alan Krieger of Spring; grandchildren: Mandy and Heath Kalkhake, Keith Krieger, Jennifer and Brad Glaesmann, Cory Painter, Kayla Harmel, Julie Krieger, Aimee Harmel, Micah Harmel; great-grandchildren: Jackson Kalkhake, Kaiden Kalkhake, and Bailey Glaesmann; special friend Karen Harmel; numerous nieces and nephews, as well as special caregivers Ramona and Veronica. Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, four brothers and one sister. Serving as pallbearers are Aubrey Harmel, Charles Harmel, Gene Harrison, Walter Ponfick, Jr., Brad Glaesmann, Heath Kalkhake, Larry Weber, and Robbie Harmel. All grandchildren and great-grandchildren will serve as honorary pallbearers. Memorials may be directed to St. Paul''s Lutheran Church of Rehburg. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Foehner Funeral Home, Burton, Texas. For more information call 979-836-4564 or view the obituary online at www.memorialoakschapel.com.