Marian Aufdenberg

Marian Ruth Aufdenberg, 80, formerly of Tilsit, passed away Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

Born Sept. 18, 1937, in Tilsit, she was the third of 13 children born to Alvin and Thekla Lange Kuntze.

She attended school in Tilsit and was an active, lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, also the church of her baptism, confirmation and marriage.

Marian married Earl Aufdenberg on May 26, 1957. Five children were born to their union: Rick, Sharon, Ellen, Mike and Steve. Earl and Marian farmed together their entire married lives. No matter what the job was, Marian was Earl’s “right hand.” She drove tractors and combines, helped oversee livestock, gardened and canned. She served on the altar guild and taught Sunday school at Immanuel Church, and, when time allowed, she enjoyed painting, quilting and traveling. She and Earl had been married 42 years when he passed away June 19, 1999.

Loving survivors include five children, Rick (Renee) Aufdenberg of Tilsit, Sharon (Keith) Crites of Jackson, Ellen (George) Kirchdoerfer of Gordonville, Mike (Wendy) Aufdenberg of Tilsit and Steve (Sarah) Aufdenberg of Jackson; 15 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; nine siblings, Mabel (Johnny) Fisher of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, Larry (the late Loretta) Kuntze of Jackson, Laverne Calvert of Milton, Georgia, Verla (the late Ron) Davidson of Colorado, Janice (Ken) Cheney of Athens, Georgia, Karen (Noel) Scott of Laddonia, Missouri, Karla Kuntze of Cape Girardeau, Gerald “Butch” (Pat) Kuntze of Jefferson City, Missouri, and Bonnie (Don) Wynn of Dunwoody, Georgia; a sister-in-law, Ella Mae Kuntze of Jackson; four brothers-in-law, Marvin (Gladys) Aufdenberg of Cape Girardeau, Albert “Junior” (Jackie) Aufdenberg of Jackson, Leon (Donna) Aufdenberg of Burfordville and Robert (Shirley) Aufdenberg of Jackson.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by two adult siblings, Kenneth Kuntze and Nancy Krauss; a brother-in-law, Harold Aufdenberg; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Gholson; and an infant sister, Gloria Jean Kuntze.

Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. today in Chapel A at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, and from 9 a.m. to service time Monday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the church, with the Rev. Mark Boettcher officiating. Burial will follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tilsit.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.