OBITUARY: Willie Mae Oestreich, 98, dies March 15, 2013
Willie Mae Oestreich, 98, died March 15, 2013. She was born July 6, 1914, to Max and Annie Bode. They lived on Max’s home place near Pontotoc. They were stock farmers, and all the kids had to help with the work.
When she started school, she had to walk to Pontotoc. At the age of 12, the family moved to Fredericksburg, and she graduated from high school there. While her dad, Max, was working on a ranch near Oxford, he died in a roping accident, and the family moved to Llano.
At that time, Willie Mae went to work as the telephone operator in Castell. While living there with her aunt Mollie, she walked to Castell Methodist Church. At church, she met Leonard Oestreich and eloped with him Jan. 8, 1938.
They made their home at Leonard’s birth place on the river. Her days were filled with ranch wife activities, the Castell church, school activities of her daughter Linda and the families of relatives and friends living nearby.
Willie Mae was always ready to serve tea and cookies in the cow pen while the guys were working or on the front porch while visiting with friends and family. That was still true until a few months ago. On one occasion, when she couldn’t make it to church, Cliff brought the church to her front yard. It turned into a great meeting when folks who were having a reunion at the river and some hunting guides who were in for a work weekend joined in. As always, everybody was welcomed at “Aunt Mae’s” and most likely was offered a Little Debbie snack cake of some sort.
Willie Mae is survived by Linda, Scott and Jesse Black, Stacy, Mike, Kimberly, Nickolas and Brittany Bell; sisters, Alice Houston and Alibeth Dietz; and numerous cherished nieces and nephews and their families. She also leaves behind the special friends and family who helped her be independent: Stanley and Emmie Jo Miller, Jo Ann Costan, Jim and Charm Bode and Kenneth and Pat Brandenberger.
Waiting for her to join them are husband Leonard; her mom and dad, Annie and Max; sisters, Pauline Blount and Ralph, Nila Walker and Weldon, Vernell Weed and Levi; brother, Clay Bode and Lois; T.G. Houston and Charles Dietz, Hugo and Viola Oestreich and Dale Oestreich.
Visitation is 1-2 p.m. March 18 at Trinity Methodist Church in Castell. A funeral service follows at 2 p.m. at the church with Pastors Suzanne Brantley and Cliff Krcha officiating. Burial will follow at Llano City Cemetery. Pallbearers are Scott Black, Jim Bode, Kenneth Brandenberger, Donald Brandenberger, Ray Dietzman and Stanley Miller.
Arrangements by Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Home, 307 E. Sandstone in Llano, (325) 247-4300. Condolences may be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net or made at www.whhfuneralhome.com.