Wilodine Lemke

Wilodine Lemke, 96, of Brenham, passed away November 18, 2010. She was born August 6, 1914 in Goliad County, Texas to Edwin O. and Mathilda Hartmann Jacob. On June 6, 1935, she was married to Edmund Lemke in Yorktown, Texas. They celebrated 65 years of marriage before his death in 2000. In 1939, the Lemkes moved to Lufkin where Wilodine helped her husband in his commercial sign business for more than 40 years. Mr. Lemke put up many signs in the Brenham area, including Perry Bros., Brookshire Bros., and Schleider Furniture Store. In the late 1950''s, Wilodine and Edmund, several Lufkin residents of German descent, and several German residents of Nacogdoches organized a German-American Social Club of East Texas. Its purpose was to promote fellowship and fun for German war brides and immigrants. Wilodine and Edmund taught polka and waltz lessons in the 1970''s through the City of Lukin Recreational Department, and then formed the Lufkin Polka Dot Club in 1979, which is still active today as the Lufkin Dance Club. She always loved the music and dances and was a member of the Texas German Society, Washington County Chapter. Wilodine was the last charter member of First Lutheran Church of Lufkin, which began in 1942. Since traveling through Brenham for many years to Goliad and DeWitt Counties, she and Edmund moved to Brenham in 1982 to be near their daughter, Donna. Wilodine was a member of St. Peter''s Lutheran Church of Gay Hill. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, brothers Elmer Jacob, Wilfred Jacob, Marvin Jacob, and Edwin Jacob, and sisters Viola Hausmann, Anita Heil, and Kathleen Bade. Survivors are sons and daughters-in-law Newton and Anita Lemke of Lufkin and Karl and Linda Lemke of Kingwood; daughter and son-in-law Donna and Joel Bennett of Brenham; former daughter-in-law Ursula Lemke; grandchildren Karl and Stephanie Lemke of Lufkin; Jennie Bennett of Austin, Kim and Keith Cole of Georgetown, and Thomas and Mary Lou Lemke of Houston; four great-grandchildren; sister Ruby Braun of Yorktown; sisters-in-law Eva Jacob of Austin, and Flo Jacob of Yorktown. Visitation will be at Memorial Oaks Chapel on Nov. 22, 2010 from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. with a devotional service at 6:30 p.m. Graveside services will be held Nov. 23, 2010 at Westside Cemetery in Yorktown, with nephew Rev. Arlyn Hausmann officiating. Memorials may be directed to St. Peter''s Lutheran Church or to the Texas German Society, Washington County Chapter. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham 979836-4564, www.memorialoakschapel.com, and Finch Funeral Home of Yorktown.