BRUNE
Marjorie Sophia Pophanken Brune, 94, passed away in her home Friday, Oct. 15.
Marjorie was born in Brush, CO, located in Morgan County, CO, on Apr. 6, 1927. She came to live with Willie and Sophia Pophanken of Eagle Lake in March 1929, after meeting at Faith Home in Houston. Her adoption became final Mar. 5, 1930. She was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Frelsburg, July 29, 1929, as there was no Lutheran church in Eagle Lake at the time. After her father Willie passed away Mar. 5, 1935, Marjorie and her mother moved from outside of Eagle Lake to town in 1939. They rented a house there for a few months then moved back to the country. In January, 1940 Marjorie and her mother moved to Columbus where Sophia renovated a home she inherited, and this became a boarding house.
Marjorie graduated from Columbus High School in May 1944. After finishing high school she worked for a few local businesses in town. One of them was Zumwaldt Pharmacy where she worked for Mr. Thurman West. The drug store also included a soda fountain and Western Union.
Marjorie married Thurman Ellis Brune on Wednesday, May 16, 1951 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbus. Pastor G. Wolf officiated. Their witnesses were Celeste and Jim Henry Ilse. They lived with Marjorie’s mother at the boarding house for the first two years after they married. Then they moved to an apartment outside of town and lived there until May 28, 1955. The next move was to their new home they built in Shaws Bend.
In November 1957, Marjorie and Thurman went to Austin to meet and play with a baby boy. Herman Willie Brune was born July 2, 1957, and become Thurman and Marjorie’s son on Nov. 20, 1957. Their daughter, Elena Sophia Brune, was born May 24, 1964, in Weimar. Thurman and Marjorie were married 49 years and seven months before Thurman’s passing on Dec. 24, 2000.
Marjorie was a homemaker and belonged to various organizations. She was a Charter member of the Ladies Evening Circle at St. Paul Lutheran Church. She was a Charter member of Hermann Sons Columbus Lodge No. 10 and was the secretary/treasurer from December 1962 until 2013. She would have received her 70-year pin this year. Marjorie was also a member of the Home Demonstration Group for 62 years and was a Charter member for the Shaws Bend Club. She enjoyed sewing and made lots of clothes for Elena, lots of doll clothes, and even clothes for her grandchildren when they were young and lots of other things. She also loved to crochet. Needlepoint was another one of her hobbies, Marjorie was very proud of her German heritage and was a member of the Colorado County Chapter of the Texas German Society and also a member of the chapter’s singing group Unser Deutsche Sangers. Marjorie en joyed playing dominos and belonged to two different groups that met monthly. She was very proud of her children and grandchildren and enjoyed supporting them. She attended many band concerts, football games (to support the band), was a Band Club member and worked many hours fitting band uniforms. She also attended one-act plays, volleyball games, basketball games, and track meets. One of the things she was most proud of was attending her grandchildren’s college graduations.
Marjorie is preceded in death by her parents Willie and Sophia Pophanken and husband Thurman.
She is survived by son Herman Brune of Shaws Bend, daughter Elena Holub and husband John of Shaws Bend, granddaughter Samantha Heimbach and husband Grant of Austin, grandson Clayton Holub of Shaws Bend, and great-grandson Will Heimbach.
Pallbearers were Chase Mueller, Dennis Crawford, Greg Schneider, Phil Clark, Henry Smahlik, Jerry Haluska, Rusty Klaus, and Stephen Hoelscher.
Visitation was Tuesday Oct. 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Henneke Funeral Home.
A prayer service was held Tuesday 7 p.m. at Henneke Funeral Home.
Funeral Service was Wednesday Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. at Henneke Funeral Home with Rev. Alan D. Kethan officiating.
Memorials may be given to St. Paul Lutheran Church, P. 0. Box 267, Columbus, Texas 78934 or the charity of your choice.
Online condolences may be given at www.hennekefuneralhome.com.