Elsie Burkholder

Elsie Irene (Reschly) Burkholder, 87, of Washington, died Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, in the United Presbyterian Home in Washington.

A celebration of life will be held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Bethel Mennonite Church in rural Wayland with the Rev. Curt Kuhns officiating. Burial will follow at the Bethel Cemetery. A time to greet the family will be held in the fellowship hall following the service at the cemetery. A memorial fund has been established for the Bethel Mennonite Church. The Beatty Peterseim Funeral Home in Washington is in charge of the arrangements.

Mrs. Burkholder was born March 14, 1928, near Lockridge, the daughter of Harry and Fanny (Conrad) Reschly. She married Stanley D. Burkholder on Sept. 12, 1948, in Daytonville.

She moved with her family close to Olds, where she went to Prospect Country School. Then the family moved again, northeast of Crawfordsville, when she was 10 years old and in the fourth grade. She graduated from Crawfordsville High School in 1946. She did housework for a number of people while raising her children. In 1970 she worked at the Crawfordsville Post Office as a clerk. She was later promoted to postmaster and remained in that position until her retirement at age 62. She will be remembered for all the quilts she made for all of her six children and her grandchildren. She also liked to work with her flowers and her yard, and she especially enjoyed taking care of her family.

Surviving are her husband, Stanley, of Washington; six children, Dwain Burkholder and wife Kathleen of Ocala, Florida, Steve Burkholder of Cedar Rapids, Jean Molander and husband William of Weeki Wachee, Florida, Warren Burkholder of Marion, Suzanne Smith and husband Sam of Columbus Junction, and Marlene Carver and husband Scott of Wayland; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Marion Reschly and wife Opal of Crawfordsville, Vernon Reschly and wife Laura of Nowata, Oklahoma, and Raymond Reschly and wife Wava of Kalona.

She as preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Williard, Benjamin, and Orlin Reschly; and two sisters, Vera Buchanon, and Kathryn Lehman.