Emma Kathryn Wenger

Emma Kathryn Wenger obituary

Emma Kathryn (better known as Kathryn)  was born March 26, 1925 to Katie Glenn Pletcher and George Washington Pletcher Sr. at the family home south of Schramm.  She was the fourth of five children, and was the only daughter.  She said she was a bit of a tomboy growing up, in spite of her parents determination to raise a “proper young lady” amidst all of the boys in the family.  She loved to be outside and enjoyed the different kinds of animals on the ranch.  Grandma Katie saw to it that she became proficient in cooking, sewing, gardening and housekeeping. 

Kathryn attended the Mt Hope school, which was about a mile from her home, across a sand hill pasture filled with lots of tall sagebrush.  She rode to school on horseback, mainly to avoid the possible encounter with a snake if she’d have walked.  She loved school, and many of her classmates became lifelong friends.  She roomed in town while attending Yuma High School since there were no school bus routes that went out as far as her home.  After high school she attended CU/Boulder for a short time. 

Romance blossomed after meeting Bob, the brother of her best friend, Trudy Wenger.  Kathryn and Bob were married on January 27, 1945 in St Francis, KS.  After his discharge from the Marine Corps, they settled back in Yuma, to farm and ranch.  They became parents to a small army of boys.   Kathryn was a loving and nurturing mother, who could cook, clean and keep everyone in line.  Gardening was an important part of her life, not only for enjoyment, but to provide food for the coming winter.  Many quarts of home canned green beans, tomatoes, pickles and peaches lined the shelves in the basement.  Equally impressive was the freezer full of homemade pies.  Cherry, peach, and rhubarb custard were among our favorites.  Mom played the piano and had a love for all kinds of beautiful music. 

In later years Kathryn and Bob were fortunate enough to travel, not only around the US, but to the South Pacific islands where Bob fought during WWII.  Hong Kong, Indonesia, and South Africa were among other destinations.

She passed away October 21, 2016 at the Yuma Life Care Center, and will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Katie Pletcher, Robert, her husband of 63 years, a stillborn son David, grandson Jared Wenger and her older brothers, Melvin, Millard, and George Pletcher.

She is survived by her younger brother, Harvey Pletcher, sister in law Trudy Mullison-Grabowski, brother in law Bill Wenger (Marie), her five sons, Robert Jr. (Jeanne), Steve (Kathy), Ronald (Richard Birnie), Dick (Lee Griffin), Chris (Stephanie), grandchildren Heidi Wenger, Eric Wenger, Seth Wenger and Jadon Wenger.

Funeral service was held October 25, 2016 at the First United Presbyterian Church in Yuma, officiated by Donna Herman.  Interment is in the Yuma Cemetery.  Baucke Funeral Home directed the service.