Birky, Erma Louise Kennel (1921-2005)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Nov 28 p. 11

Birth date: 1921 jun 16

text of obituary:

ERMA BIRKY

Erma Louise Birky, 84, of Detroit Lakes, Minn., died Nov. 4, 2005. She was born June 16, 1921, to Louis R. and Fannie Lauber Kennel in Strang, Neb. She grew up in the Strang area with her parents and a sister.

On Oct. 30, 1941, she married Glen Birky in Shickley, Neb. To this marriage came five children.

In 1961, they moved from Nebraska to Minnesota, where Glen became pastor at Lake Region Mennonite Church near Detroit Lakes.

She was a wonderful and loving mother and grandmother who had a great sense of humor and loved to serve those that were around her. She enjoyed quilting, baking and hosted many guests in the warmth of her home.

Survivors include her husband, Glen Birky; five children, Margaret Brubacher and her husband, Ray, of Elmira, Ont., Stanley Birky and his wife, Shirley, of Detroit Lakes, Carol Erb and her husband, Kenny, of Frazee, David Birky and his wife, Teresa, of Detroit Lakes, and Mary Jean Sweigart and her husband, Tim, of Hesston, Kan.; a sister, Ardis Cowerd of Glendale, Ariz.; 17 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at Lake Region Mennonite Church. Burial was in Lake Region Mennonite Church Cemetery.