Magdalen M. Rohleder

Magdalen M. “Maxie” Rohleder, 93, of Topeka, died November 26, 2018 at the Presbyterian Manor.

She was born in Park, Kansas on July 30, 1925 the daughter of Martin and Barbara (Lovenstein) Schurr.  At the age of 8 she and her family moved to a farm near Oakley, Kansas where she graduated from High School.  Maxie earned a certificate to teach school and taught in a country school for one year.  She spent five months at a convent in Wichita preparing to become a nun when in 1942 she met Ben Rohleder.

Maxie enjoyed embroidery, crochet, and was an avid reader (mostly fiction) as well as playing 10-point pitch every afternoon except for Sundays.

Her faith was very important to her and she was a longtime member of St. Joseph Parish where she was a member of the Altar Society and taught CCD classes.

Maxie and Ben married three months after he returned home from the war on January 7, 1946.  In 1956 they moved to Topeka and made their home in the country north of Rees’ Apple Orchard where they lived until moving to the Topeka Presbyterian Manor in 2006.  They shared 66 years of marriage before he predeceased her on September 22, 2012.  They had three children who survive; Ron (Betsy) Rohleder and Mary Rinehart all of Topeka and John Rohleder of Lawrence.  She is also survived by two grandsons, Jason and Justin Rinehart and was preceded by a grandson, Brent Rinehart.

As the eighth of eleven children she was the last to survive.  Preceding her in death were her siblings, Jake, George, Nels, Joseph, John, Martin, Emma, Elizabeth, Margaret and Frances.

Maxie will lie in state at the Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home on Thursday after 2:00 p.m. where a Parish Rosary will be prayed at 5:00 p.m. and the family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m.  Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 312 Freeman, Topeka.  Interment will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to St. Joseph Restoration Fund and sent in care of Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6^th Ave., Topeka, Kansas  66603.

Online condolences and fond memories may be left at www.brennanmathenafh.com.