Tillie Clara Kirsch

Tillie Clara (Merkord) Kirsch passed away February 24, 2016 in Taylor at the age of 100 years, 10 months, 12 days.

She was born on April 12, 1915 to Carl and Marie (Kattner) Merkord of the Detmold Community and was baptized Mathilda Klara Merkord in April 1915 by Rudolph Becker, St. John Lutheran Church, Detmold. Her sponsors were Herman Leschber, May Thaler, Mathilda Merkord and Anna Kattner. She was confirmed on September 21, 1930 by Theodore Bogisch, St. John Lutheran Church, Detmold. [Her uncle, Fritz Merkord, was one of the signers of the original constitution of the church on 12/26/1903]. Her confirmation verse was Isaiah 43:1: But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”.

She was married to Wilmar Kirsch ("Slim Fuessel") on June 29, 1941 at Immanuel Lutheran Church ("West Taylor"), Taylor, Texas by Karl Konzack, Pastor.

She was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Thorndale, Texas and supported her church in various ways, including folding bulletins and gifting food items for church events, when she was still living independently.

She lived the majority of her life in the Detmold/Thorndale area, growing up on her family's farm in the Detmold community. She and her husband purchased the Locklin farm east of Thorndale in 1953 and this was home until she moved into Thorndale and lived in the Schneider apartments prior to residing in the SPJST Nursing Home in Taylor, Texas until the time of her death. While on the farm she maintained a large garden every year, canning vegetables, pickles, and fruit and making dewberry and grape jellies for her family in addition to doing all the hard work required in the running of a family farm. In earlier years she enjoyed crocheting and was an excellent seamstress and quilter. She was also an excellent cook and baked pies, cakes and bread and loved sharing her favorites of pink enchantment cake, German chocolate cake, lemon, chocolate and coconut pies as well as refrigerator and oatmeal cookies with family, relatives and friends during visits.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brother Edwin Merkord and his wife Maxine, and sister Leona Hirt and her husband Lonnie.

She is survived by her sons Kenneth Kirsch and wife Dorothy, and David Kirsch, all of Garland, Texas, and daughter Geneva Krish of Santa Fe, New Mexico; four grandchildren: Robert Krish and wife Denice; Amber Alexander and husband Adam, Eric Kirsch, and Mark Kirsch and wife Nichole; six great grandchildren: Allison, Andrew, Audrey, Weston, Margo and Jacob; sister Loraine Weise; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are grandsons Robert Krish, Eric Kirsch, Mark Kirsch, Adam Alexander and nephews Henry Fuessel and Billy Merkord.


Visitation will be from 7:00-8:00 P.M. on Friday, February, 26, 20016 at Providence Funeral Home.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at 3:00 P.M. Saturday, February 27, 2016 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Thorndale with burial to follow at St. Paul Lutheran Church Cemetery