Katharina Anna Krueger Brown was born March 1, 1945 in Wuertzburg, Germany, the daughter of Dr. Horst and Mathilde Beyer Krueger. She passed away June 14, 2012 at the Presbyterian Manor in Emporia, KS.
She married Don Buhrle of Great Bend, KS on September 10, 1964 in Germany. They were divorced. She later married R. Lyle Brown, July 1, 2006 in Emporia, KS at their home.
She was trained as a nurse while in Germany and later worked as a Telemetry Technician in Salina Regional and Newton Regional Hospital in Emporia. For many years she owned, bred, trained, showed, judged and rode horses, winning many awards as an equestrian, both as an amateur and professional. She joked that she had to give that up because she ran out of bones to break. She belonged to the National Quarter Horse Association and the North Central Briarders, a national organization for owners of Briard dogs. She was an accomplished home decorator and cook, which she loved to do.
She is survived by two sisters, her twin Ursula Zelenka and Monika Schuetz both of Villingen, Germany in the Black Forest; her husband Lyle of Emporia, KS; children D.J. Buhrle of Phoenix, AZ; Berkley Buhrle of Salina, KS; Natasha Dietz of Oswego, IL and Matthew Buhrle of Olathe, KS; 3 step daughters, Deborah Ash of Emporia, KS; Pamela Marah of Overland Park, KS and Kristi Lauridsen of Olathe, KS; 6 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren and 1 step-great-grandson.
Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service at the church.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 PM Monday, June 18, 2012 at the First Presbyterian Church in Smith Center, KS with Pastor Maggie McIntosh officiating.
Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, KS.
The family requests memorial contributions be given to the First Presbyterian Church and can be sent in care of the mortuary.