Obituary of Erna Hildegard Buckels

Erna Hildegard Roedig was born March 19, 1926 to Klara Meinel Roedig and Franz Joseph Roedig in Klingenthal /Saxony, Germany. She began her education there and then when her family moved to Grimma she began her training in the banking business. She escaped from the GDR (the Eastern part of Germany) in 1947 to the West and went to work for the German News Agency in Bad Nauheim. After moving to Frankfurt she worked as a bookkeeper in the film industry. She met Fred Harris Buckels who was serving in the Air Force and stationed at Rheim Main, Germany. They were married on September 25, 1956. They have two daughters, Evelyn Louise and Elaine Erna. After Fred’s discharge from the Air Force, they moved to Baytown, Texas where they lived and raised their family for 30 years. Erna worked as a secretary for St. Paul Lutheran Church for 15 years. After Fred’s retirement, they moved to the Moffat area in 1989. While in Temple, Erna and Fred were faithful members of Covenant Lutheran Church. In 2014, Erna and Fred moved to Pearland to be closer to their daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They joined New Life Lutheran Church in Pearland. Erna and Fred spent many of their retirement years traveling to all 50 US states and many other foreign countries. Erna was planning on a cruise in 2016 to celebrate her 90th birthday and Erna/Fred’s 60th wedding anniversary. Erna was a wonderful Wife, Mother and Mema to her family that she loved so much. She had a strong, devout faith and was ever faithful to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Erna is preceded in death by her parents and her brother Heinz. She is survived by her husband of 59 years Fred Buckels, her daughter Evelyn Baldauf and husband Gary, her daughter Elaine Damewood and husband Larry. She is survived by her sister Gerda Freeman and husband Mack, her brother Lothar Roedig and wife Imgard, her brother Werner Roedig and wife Inge. She is survived by her grandson Michael Baldauf, wife Megan and great-grandson Caleb, grandson Christopher Baldauf, wife Samantha and great-grandchildren Elliot and Chloe, grandson Matthew Metcalf, wife Jacque and great-grandchildren Bella and Alyssa, grandson Mark Metcalf and fiancée Mallory Tillotson and grandson Ryan Metcalf. The visitation for Erna will be held Monday, December 21, 2015 from 6:00 until 8:00 pm at Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 W. Broadway, Pearland, Texas 77581. The funeral service will take place Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 10:00 am at the funeral home with Pastor Brian Gigee officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston, Texas.