Minnie Buchhalter

(nee Fehr) entered God's loving arms on Wednesday, 13 April 2016, age 99. She was the beloved wife of the late August, loving Mother to Irene (Othmar Dreiseitel) Goedde and Gus (Janet Rice) Buchhalter, and dear Grandma to Dan Schmidt, Linda Vytlacil, and August (Sarah) Buchhalter. With much affection, she enjoyed her great-grandchildren Marie (Ben) Sonsalla, Christine (Mike) Wilson, David Schmidt, Max Vytlacil, and Emma Vytlacil — and was delighted by her great-great grandson, Ethan Sonsalla.

Born Wilhelmina Fehr on 25 October 1916 in the German settlement of Worms, Ukraine, Minnie was the 3rd of 9 children to Peter and Wilhelmine Fehr. A farm family, they were very close, valued education, and trusted God. Born in a time of turmoil at the start of the Russian Revolution, life was difficult, and the family suffered terrible harrow at the hands of the Bolshevik's, including Peter Fehr, who was conscripted to work the coal mines in Vladivostok, where he died in 1927.

Minnie's studies in Odessa to become a doctor ended due to the poverty inflicted from the Stalinist regime. Ultimately, such pressure on the German communities mounted as WW II raged, that families dispersed. Trusting in God, Minnie led women from her family through the perils of flight from the Ukraine, survived the bombing of Dresden, and navigated treacherous woods to escape from the post-war Germany "Russian Zone" toward freedom in the West.

With her daughter, Irene, Minnie again pioneered the future familial path, immigrating to the US in 1951 and settling with her sponsor and uncle, George Mauch, in Lamar, Colorado. Family and the prospects of better work attracted her to Milwaukee in 1956, where through friends and family in the German community, she met the love of her life, August Buchhalter.

Minnie and Gus married in 1960, and settled in the home Gus built in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. A devoted wife, productive employee of the Mohawk Electrical Wire Company, and friend to many, Minnie enjoyed cooking, needlework, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. She was an excellent cook, and family reminisce fondly of the delicious flavors she coaxed from such simple dishes as Goulash, Rouladen, Sauerkraut, and cucumber salad.

Upon her retirement in 1986, Minnie and Gus relocated to Milwaukee, settling in Menomonee Falls — close to her daughter, grandchildren, and her surviving sisters, Anna (Edmund) Frey and Lydia (Fritz) Ebel.

After the loss of her beloved Gus in 1989, Minnie continued to deeply engage with family and friends. She throughly enjoyed babysitting for her great-grandchildren (Marie, Christine, and David), enjoyed the company of her German "Seniors" friends, and volunteered for many years in fellowship at St Anthony's Catholic Community and at the Schwabenhof.

She enjoyed travel, returning to Germany to connect with family many times, and often hosted those visiting from Germany as well — all warmly welcomed with Gemuetlichkeit…and a plate of Streusselkuchen. Minnie loved Christmas, and enjoyed the time of preparation — especially baking. The precision, industry, and care she took in crafting her Spritz- and cut-out cookies was a motif for most everything she undertook throughout her life.

Minnie had a keen mind and loved to play board games — just three weeks before she passed, she was still engaged in an epic round of Rummikub with family across four generations.

Always staying abreast of geopolitics, she expressed her opinion freely and with the wisdom of one who persevered through injustice. She prayed deeply for each in her family, and through her faith in God, she was steadfast to the end. She ran the race set out before her, and looks forward to the day when she will hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith". — 2 Timothy 4:7

Visitation at Krause Funeral Home, 9000 West Capitol Drive, Milwaukee on Friday, April 22, 5:00-6:45 PM. Funeral Service 7:00 PM. Burial Wisconsin Memorial Park, Saturday, 11:00 AM.