Magdalene Knuppel

Magdalene Grace Knuppel (Menn), 90, of Brenham, Texas, passed into heaven on September 24, 2023.

A visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., on Friday October 6, 2023, at Memorial Oaks Chapel.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday October 7, 2023, at Christ Lutheran Church with Pastor Ken Weiss officiating. A burial will follow at Prairie Lea Cemetery.

Magdalene was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who is survived by her son Ronald and his wife Ann, her daughter-in-law Paula Hill, her grandchildren Alisha Hardwick, Mark Knuppel and wife Tabatha, Elizabeth Knuppel and husband Andrew Maicke, Suzanne Knuppel and significant other Cody Stewart and Jennifer Knuppel, her great-grandchildren Kylie Hardwick, Lilly Hardwick and William Hardwick. She is also survived by her sister Lenora Voelkel, sister-in-law Bernadine Blum and nephews Jim Voelkel and wife Carla, Craig Blum and wife Kathy, nieces Beverly Roehling and husband Dennis and Linda Wiesepape and husband Carl.

She is preceded in death by her parents Albert and Wera Menn, parents-in-law John and Mary Knuppel, grandson Gregory Knuppel, son Russell Knuppel, her granddaughter Alisha’s husband Timothy Hardwick, brother’s-in-law, Fred Blum and James Voelkel and her husband of 66 years Arnold Knuppel.

Magdalene was born on September 8, 1933, to Albert and Wera Menn at home on the family farm in Greenvine Texas. She was baptized on March 22, 1934, at Winedale Lutheran Church and confirmed on October 19, 1947, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Greenvine. She married her husband Arnold on June 5, 1954, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Greenvine. After graduating from Burton High School in 1950 Magdalene went to Blinn College where she earned her associate in arts in 1952. She then attended Southwest State Teachers College where she earned her bachelor’s in education in 1953. She earned her master’s in education at the University of Houston in 1960. Magdalene taught living science and biology for 35 years in Pasadena Texas. Upon her and Arnold’s retirement they enjoyed traveling in their trailer to numerous states and national parks and visited England, Germany, and other European countries as well as Alaska, Mexico, Panama, and Hawaii. They were very interested in genealogy and spent hours tracing their family history. They loved music, especially polka, and enjoyed dancing with their dancing club.  Magdalene excelled at quilting and needlework, she also loved gardening and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren playing endless games of Skip Bo and dominos. She was an active member of Christ Lutheran Church and was involved with numerous ministries there.

Ron and Ann are especially grateful to Beverly Roehling and Craig Blum, for their kindness and care of Magdalene while she was in the hospital. For Mark and Tabatha for being with their grandmother before her surgery and helping Ron visit her while she was in the hospital and for Elizabeth for getting us home from Colorado to be with Magdalene before her death. The family is also thankful for the staff at Silver Sage Assisted Living and Acara Hospice who showed such compassion and care of Magdalene. 

Pallbearers are Craig Blum, Dennis Roehling, Jim Voelkel, Mark Knuppel, Andrew Maicke, and Cody Stewart.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Christ Lutheran Church and/or Brenham Teacher Retirement Scholarship fund.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 West Main Street, Brenham, TX 77833