Eva Catharina "Katie" Koepf

Notes:

She was said by Art Peck to be a half sister of Rudolph and Marie Kaiser. Her death certificate showed her as a daughter of Fred Buerk, with her mother's name not listed. The name Fred Buerk may have been in error, as she had an uncle Fred Buerk as well. It could well be that she listed her uncle as her father, as BonnieMargaret Jacobs wrote, on page 162 of her unpublished manuscript about the Benkelman family, that Kate/Katie was raised by Fred Buerk and Catherina Benkelman as if she were their own daughter, who was also named Catherine. To avoid confusion, Katherine Eva was called Kate or Katie, and her elder cousin (by just one month) was called Catherine.

Family Search instead shows her as a daughter Christine Buerk and Johannes Koepf, and he was listed as her father on the "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898", database on FamilySearch.

Cass City Chronicle
October 3, 1933

A birthday dinner was held Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Striffler in honor of the birthdays of Mrs. Striffler and her sister, Mrs. G.E. Krapf. A brother, W.R. Kaiser of Detroit, whose birthday is within a few days of his sisters, was also expected but because of illness was unable to be present. Other guests of the dinner were Mr. and Mrs. Louis Striffler, Miss Gertrude Striffler and Russell Atwell, all of Detroit; Mr. and Mrs. Ira Reagh and family, and Mrs. Alma Schenck and family.

Cass City Chronicle
October 6, 1933
Local Happenings, Page Four

Thursday, September 29, was named as the date for the celebration of four birthdays in the Striffler and Kaiser families and a dinner was served at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Striffler on Leach street. The birthdays of Mrs. Striffler, Mrs. G.E. Krapf and Grant Reagh, all of Cass City, and W.R. Kaiser of Detroit all occur within a week. Members of all four families were present at dinner.

Cass City Chronicle
Vol. 32, Number 43
Cass City, Michigan, Friday, January 21, 1938
Page One
Pioneer Resident Found Dead in Home By Son
Unexpected Passing of Mrs. Solomon Striffler Is Great Shock to Relatives

Returning from an errance to a grocery store to buy supplies for the following day, Leonard Striffler, who makes his home with his mother, Mrs. Solomon Striffler, on the corner of Leach and Third streets, found her dead on the bathroom floor when he returned home about six o'clock Saturday evening. He had been absent but a short time and had left his mother with no sign of any serious ailment. Mrs. Striffler had visited her physician Saturday afternoon because she felt slightly indisposed and her spoke encouragingly of her general health. Relatives and friends were naturally greatly shocked to hear of her sudden and unexpected death. Funeral services were held in the Evangelical church on Tuesday afternoon, Dr. R.N. Holsape, the pastor officiating, in interment was made in Elkland cemetery. Katherine Buerk was born in Waldhausen, Wuertemberg, Germany, September 25, 1865, and came to Elkland township with her grandmother, Mrs. Christine BUERK, in 1873, when she was seven years of age. On November 15, 1883, she and Solomon Striffler were married by the Rev. B.F. Wade, at the home of the bride's uncle, Fred BUERK, in Elkland township. The following spring Mr. Striffler erected a residence on his farm one mile north of Elkland cemetery and here he and Mrs. Striffler lived and reared their children until 15 years ago when they moved to Cass City. Both Mr. and Mrs. Striffler were for many years active members of the Evangelical church, Mrs. Striffler being much interested in the activities of the Ladies' Aid Society. On November 15, 1933, Mr. and Mrs. Striffler celebrated their fiftieth marriage anniversary and many friends and acquantances, those of the pioneer days and those of a more modern age, called at their home to pay their respect and show their love for this venerable couple, who by their spirit and intergrity and kindness had won a large circle of friends in the community where they had long resided.

Mr. Striffler passed away on May 8, 1936.



Mrs. Striffler leaves six children, Frank, Louis, and Miss Gertrude Striffler, all of Detroit, and Leonard Striffler, Mrs. Ira REAGH and Mrs. Alma SCHENCK, all of Cass City; eight grandchildren; a brother W.R. KAISER of Detroit; and two sisters, Mrs. Samuel STRIFFLER of Battle Creek and Mrs. G.E. KRAPF of Cass City. A daughter, Luella, 6, preceded her mother in death.

Friends and relatives from distant points who attended the funeral her Tuesday included Mr. and Mrs. Joseph FRUTCHEY, Mrs. A.D. McINTYRE, Mr. and Mrs. Jack GIBBS, Mrs. Mary CROCKER, all from Saginaw; Miss Icele PASCHALL, MR. J. SPANGLER, E. ATWELL, Mr. and Mrs. Earl GOODEN, Mr. and Mrs. I.H. BLAKELY, Mr. and Mrs. W.R. KAISER, Mr. and Mrs. William QUIGLEY, John, Kenneth and Ruth KAISER, Mrs. Burke AREHART and Mrs. William McINTYRE, all of Detroit; Mrs. Samuel STRIFFLER of Battle Creek; Donald SCHENCK and Miss Genevieve RUEDE of Jackson.

Eva married Solomon Striffler on 15 Nov 1883 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. Solomon (son of Jacob Striffler and Luise "Louisa" Benkelman) was born on 5 Apr 1859 in Lancaster, Erie County, New York; died on 8 May 1936 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried on 10 May 1936 in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Cass City Chronicle
Friday, November 10, 1933
Volume 28, Number 31

An article and photo commerating their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary was featured on page 1

1. Franklin Arthur Striffler was born on 13 Aug 1886 in Elkland Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 8 Sep 1959 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan; was buried on 11 Sep 1959.
2. Alice L. Striffler was born on 30 Mar 1889 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 3 Jan 1966 in Eustis, Lake County, Florida; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
3. Leonard "Len" Striffler was born on 5 May 1891 in Elkland Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 9 Jan 1983 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
4. Alma Louise Striffler was born on 11 Mar 1893 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 24 Jan 1966 in Elkton, Huron County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
5. Anna Luella Striffler was born on 15 Oct 1899 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 1 May 1906 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
6. Louis John Striffler was born on 13 Jan 1903 in Elkland Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 8 Apr 1986 in Grosse Pointe, Wayne County, Michigan; was buried on 10 Apr 1986 in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
7. Gertrude Edna Striffler was born on 19 Sep 1905 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 21 Mar 1981 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried on 23 Mar 1981 in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.

Johannes married Christine Barbara Buerk before 1865. Christine (daughter of Johannes B?rk and Christina Reinert) was born on 24 Jan 1842 in W?rttemberg, Germany; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to FamilySearch, she was also married to Johann Michael Griener,in 1872.

Johannes married Christina Reinert about 1835 in W?rttemberg, Germany. Christina was born on 4 Jan 1817 in W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 11 May 1907 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Christina Buerk "came from Waldhausen to America in 1873, with her granddaughter, Katherine Buerk," later the wife of Solomon Striffler, according to the obituary of Katherine Buerk published in the Friday, January 21, 1938 issue of the Cass City Chronicle.

Christina's own obituary is below:

Tri County Chronicle
Cass City Michigan
Friday, May 19, 1907

Mrs Christina Buerk nee Reinert died at the home of her son, Fred Buerk, on Thursday, May 11 after an illness of several months. She was born in Walthausen, Wurtenberg, Germany on January 4, 1817, where in 1835 she was united in marriage to John Buerk. To this union came five children, four sons and one daughter. Two sons, Charles of Caro and Fred of this place survive. Mr. Buerk died in Germany in 1866 and in 1873 Mrs. Buerk and her children came to America, settling on a farm in Elkland township, northeast of this village.

She was converted during a series of meetings conducted by Rev. W. Berge during his former ministry here and has since lived a christian life. At that time there was no Evangelical church organized in this village. For several years past she has made her home with her son, Fred. Besides her two remaining sons she leaves 5 granchildren and 15 great-granchildren. The funeral services were held in the Evangelical church Sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. W. Berge, and her remains laid to rest in Elkland Cemetery.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

Notes:

Married:
They were the parents of four sons and one daughter