Ordained minister and beloved mother.
Born in Evart, Michigan to Floyd and Edna Stevens and spent most of her life in the Reed City/Evart area, attending Evart School as a child. In 1919 she married Ernest Burr who preceded her in death. She then married L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf in 1941, who passed away in 1973. Her parents and brothers; Floyd, Walter, Lyle, Harvey, Roy, Andy and sisters; Elizabeth and Lida, as well as her children; Ernest, Virginia, Robert, and Alice all predeceased her.
Surviving her are; a sister, Nell Fredricks of Rockford. Children; Arthur and Spencer (Laura) Burr, Glen (Pearl) Rehkopf, Roger (Vicky) Rehkopf, SaraLee Rehkopf, all of Reed City. Phyllis (Al) Mund of Florida and Blanche (LaVail) Erickson of Hersey. 21 Grandchildren; 53 Great Grandchildren; 71 Great-Great Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great-Great Grandchild.
She always gave God the credit when she was able to help someone and since she spent her whole life helping others, He got a lot of credit. So many times, she would do without, instead preferring to help others less fortunate.
Rev Rehkopf has been called the one woman lost and found. Even past age 100 she was getting phone calls from people who had lost things (dog, checkbook, important papers, rings, etc.) frequently. She could describe in detail where the missing item was which usually helped in the recovery. I remember the police asking her help in finding missing persons. Some 20 years prior to her death, Rev Rehkopf helped the family of a local woman locate the wreck of her husband’s airplane and recover his body. Everyone was looking in the wrong direction and the family would never have had closure on his death if not for her.
Rehkopf saw so many changes in the century she lived. She told her children how she and her grandparents stood around a large wooden radio and listened to the live broadcast of the Titanic sinking in April of 1912. She was nine years old at the time.
She lived through WWI and the terrible influenza epidemic that killed so many people. Her son, Roger, served in Viet Nam. A grandson, Andrew, was in the Gulf war. A grandson, Allen, was stationed in Germany. Korea and Iraq were more than just names to her. She talked with such knowledge of events like Pearl Harbor, JFK’s assassination, the Wright Brothers, the Lunar mission in 1969, 9-11,etc. because she lived through them all.
She remembered the stock market crash of 1929. She had a small savings and lost all she had. At the time she was 26 and raising 4 children by doing laundry, cleaning, etc. while her husband was away looking for work. She told how people all helped each other during the great depression. An instance being that the railroad men would throw coal from the train as it went through the neighborhood. She and the children would pick it up in a bucket and be warm for a while.
She was taken out of school at an early age to watch her brothers and sisters. She read to educate herself and realized a cherished dream by going to Adult Education in Reed City for 2 years at night to earn her diploma at the age of 78. Her family was very proud when she walked across the stage in her cap and gown.
Rehkopf credited her longevity to keeping busy, making countless nine-block quilts on her treadle sewing machine for family and friends. She was fond of saying, “There’s a prayer in every square”. She was the thread that held her family together and long after she is gone they will all still be wrapped in the love she sewed into her quilts.
Rev Rehkopf happiest when serving others. She was called to the ministry and ordained in 1962. Her ministry was one of love and non-judgement of others. When second husband, L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf died in 1973, she (with the help of volunteers -family & friends) built Pine Grove Church in 1975. All faiths were welcome. She served as pastor until she was past 100 and could no longer walk across the yard. The Michigan House of Representatives did a tribute to her on her 100th birthday. Her last official act as a minister was to perform a marriage in her livingroom for her grandson son, Ray and his fiancé, Julie Birdsall, on Feb. 4th, 2004.
Rev Rehkopf passed away on Easter Sunday, the day her Lord and Savior arose--for her very fitting that He took her with Him on that day.
Born in Evart, Michigan to Floyd and Edna Stevens and spent most of her life in the Reed City/Evart area, attending Evart School as a child. In 1919 she married Ernest Burr who preceded her in death. She then married L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf in 1941, who passed away in 1973. Her parents and brothers; Floyd, Walter, Lyle, Harvey, Roy, Andy and sisters; Elizabeth and Lida, as well as her children; Ernest, Virginia, Robert, and Alice all predeceased her.
Surviving her are; a sister, Nell Fredricks of Rockford. Children; Arthur and Spencer (Laura) Burr, Glen (Pearl) Rehkopf, Roger (Vicky) Rehkopf, SaraLee Rehkopf, all of Reed City. Phyllis (Al) Mund of Florida and Blanche (LaVail) Erickson of Hersey. 21 Grandchildren; 53 Great Grandchildren; 71 Great-Great Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great-Great Grandchild.
She always gave God the credit when she was able to help someone and since she spent her whole life helping others, He got a lot of credit. So many times, she would do without, instead preferring to help others less fortunate.
Rev Rehkopf has been called the one woman lost and found. Even past age 100 she was getting phone calls from people who had lost things (dog, checkbook, important papers, rings, etc.) frequently. She could describe in detail where the missing item was which usually helped in the recovery. I remember the police asking her help in finding missing persons. Some 20 years prior to her death, Rev Rehkopf helped the family of a local woman locate the wreck of her husband’s airplane and recover his body. Everyone was looking in the wrong direction and the family would never have had closure on his death if not for her.
Rehkopf saw so many changes in the century she lived. She told her children how she and her grandparents stood around a large wooden radio and listened to the live broadcast of the Titanic sinking in April of 1912. She was nine years old at the time.
She lived through WWI and the terrible influenza epidemic that killed so many people. Her son, Roger, served in Viet Nam. A grandson, Andrew, was in the Gulf war. A grandson, Allen, was stationed in Germany. Korea and Iraq were more than just names to her. She talked with such knowledge of events like Pearl Harbor, JFK’s assassination, the Wright Brothers, the Lunar mission in 1969, 9-11,etc. because she lived through them all.
She remembered the stock market crash of 1929. She had a small savings and lost all she had. At the time she was 26 and raising 4 children by doing laundry, cleaning, etc. while her husband was away looking for work. She told how people all helped each other during the great depression. An instance being that the railroad men would throw coal from the train as it went through the neighborhood. She and the children would pick it up in a bucket and be warm for a while.
She was taken out of school at an early age to watch her brothers and sisters. She read to educate herself and realized a cherished dream by going to Adult Education in Reed City for 2 years at night to earn her diploma at the age of 78. Her family was very proud when she walked across the stage in her cap and gown.
Rehkopf credited her longevity to keeping busy, making countless nine-block quilts on her treadle sewing machine for family and friends. She was fond of saying, “There’s a prayer in every square”. She was the thread that held her family together and long after she is gone they will all still be wrapped in the love she sewed into her quilts.
Rev Rehkopf happiest when serving others. She was called to the ministry and ordained in 1962. Her ministry was one of love and non-judgement of others. When second husband, L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf died in 1973, she (with the help of volunteers -family & friends) built Pine Grove Church in 1975. All faiths were welcome. She served as pastor until she was past 100 and could no longer walk across the yard. The Michigan House of Representatives did a tribute to her on her 100th birthday. Her last official act as a minister was to perform a marriage in her livingroom for her grandson son, Ray and his fiancé, Julie Birdsall, on Feb. 4th, 2004.
Rev Rehkopf passed away on Easter Sunday, the day her Lord and Savior arose--for her very fitting that He took her with Him on that day.
Ordained minister and beloved mother.
Born in Evart, Michigan to Floyd and Edna Stevens and spent most of her life in the Reed City/Evart area, attending Evart School as a child. In 1919 she married Ernest Burr who preceded her in death. She then married L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf in 1941, who passed away in 1973. Her parents and brothers; Floyd, Walter, Lyle, Harvey, Roy, Andy and sisters; Elizabeth and Lida, as well as her children; Ernest, Virginia, Robert, and Alice all predeceased her.
Surviving her are; a sister, Nell Fredricks of Rockford. Children; Arthur and Spencer (Laura) Burr, Glen (Pearl) Rehkopf, Roger (Vicky) Rehkopf, SaraLee Rehkopf, all of Reed City. Phyllis (Al) Mund of Florida and Blanche (LaVail) Erickson of Hersey. 21 Grandchildren; 53 Great Grandchildren; 71 Great-Great Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great-Great Grandchild.
She always gave God the credit when she was able to help someone and since she spent her whole life helping others, He got a lot of credit. So many times, she would do without, instead preferring to help others less fortunate.
Rev Rehkopf has been called the one woman lost and found. Even past age 100 she was getting phone calls from people who had lost things (dog, checkbook, important papers, rings, etc.) frequently. She could describe in detail where the missing item was which usually helped in the recovery. I remember the police asking her help in finding missing persons. Some 20 years prior to her death, Rev Rehkopf helped the family of a local woman locate the wreck of her husband’s airplane and recover his body. Everyone was looking in the wrong direction and the family would never have had closure on his death if not for her.
Rehkopf saw so many changes in the century she lived. She told her children how she and her grandparents stood around a large wooden radio and listened to the live broadcast of the Titanic sinking in April of 1912. She was nine years old at the time.
She lived through WWI and the terrible influenza epidemic that killed so many people. Her son, Roger, served in Viet Nam. A grandson, Andrew, was in the Gulf war. A grandson, Allen, was stationed in Germany. Korea and Iraq were more than just names to her. She talked with such knowledge of events like Pearl Harbor, JFK’s assassination, the Wright Brothers, the Lunar mission in 1969, 9-11,etc. because she lived through them all.
She remembered the stock market crash of 1929. She had a small savings and lost all she had. At the time she was 26 and raising 4 children by doing laundry, cleaning, etc. while her husband was away looking for work. She told how people all helped each other during the great depression. An instance being that the railroad men would throw coal from the train as it went through the neighborhood. She and the children would pick it up in a bucket and be warm for a while.
She was taken out of school at an early age to watch her brothers and sisters. She read to educate herself and realized a cherished dream by going to Adult Education in Reed City for 2 years at night to earn her diploma at the age of 78. Her family was very proud when she walked across the stage in her cap and gown.
Rehkopf credited her longevity to keeping busy, making countless nine-block quilts on her treadle sewing machine for family and friends. She was fond of saying, “There’s a prayer in every square”. She was the thread that held her family together and long after she is gone they will all still be wrapped in the love she sewed into her quilts.
Rev Rehkopf happiest when serving others. She was called to the ministry and ordained in 1962. Her ministry was one of love and non-judgement of others. When second husband, L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf died in 1973, she (with the help of volunteers -family & friends) built Pine Grove Church in 1975. All faiths were welcome. She served as pastor until she was past 100 and could no longer walk across the yard. The Michigan House of Representatives did a tribute to her on her 100th birthday. Her last official act as a minister was to perform a marriage in her livingroom for her grandson son, Ray and his fiancé, Julie Birdsall, on Feb. 4th, 2004.
Rev Rehkopf passed away on Easter Sunday, the day her Lord and Savior arose--for her very fitting that He took her with Him on that day.
Born in Evart, Michigan to Floyd and Edna Stevens and spent most of her life in the Reed City/Evart area, attending Evart School as a child. In 1919 she married Ernest Burr who preceded her in death. She then married L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf in 1941, who passed away in 1973. Her parents and brothers; Floyd, Walter, Lyle, Harvey, Roy, Andy and sisters; Elizabeth and Lida, as well as her children; Ernest, Virginia, Robert, and Alice all predeceased her.
Surviving her are; a sister, Nell Fredricks of Rockford. Children; Arthur and Spencer (Laura) Burr, Glen (Pearl) Rehkopf, Roger (Vicky) Rehkopf, SaraLee Rehkopf, all of Reed City. Phyllis (Al) Mund of Florida and Blanche (LaVail) Erickson of Hersey. 21 Grandchildren; 53 Great Grandchildren; 71 Great-Great Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great-Great Grandchild.
She always gave God the credit when she was able to help someone and since she spent her whole life helping others, He got a lot of credit. So many times, she would do without, instead preferring to help others less fortunate.
Rev Rehkopf has been called the one woman lost and found. Even past age 100 she was getting phone calls from people who had lost things (dog, checkbook, important papers, rings, etc.) frequently. She could describe in detail where the missing item was which usually helped in the recovery. I remember the police asking her help in finding missing persons. Some 20 years prior to her death, Rev Rehkopf helped the family of a local woman locate the wreck of her husband’s airplane and recover his body. Everyone was looking in the wrong direction and the family would never have had closure on his death if not for her.
Rehkopf saw so many changes in the century she lived. She told her children how she and her grandparents stood around a large wooden radio and listened to the live broadcast of the Titanic sinking in April of 1912. She was nine years old at the time.
She lived through WWI and the terrible influenza epidemic that killed so many people. Her son, Roger, served in Viet Nam. A grandson, Andrew, was in the Gulf war. A grandson, Allen, was stationed in Germany. Korea and Iraq were more than just names to her. She talked with such knowledge of events like Pearl Harbor, JFK’s assassination, the Wright Brothers, the Lunar mission in 1969, 9-11,etc. because she lived through them all.
She remembered the stock market crash of 1929. She had a small savings and lost all she had. At the time she was 26 and raising 4 children by doing laundry, cleaning, etc. while her husband was away looking for work. She told how people all helped each other during the great depression. An instance being that the railroad men would throw coal from the train as it went through the neighborhood. She and the children would pick it up in a bucket and be warm for a while.
She was taken out of school at an early age to watch her brothers and sisters. She read to educate herself and realized a cherished dream by going to Adult Education in Reed City for 2 years at night to earn her diploma at the age of 78. Her family was very proud when she walked across the stage in her cap and gown.
Rehkopf credited her longevity to keeping busy, making countless nine-block quilts on her treadle sewing machine for family and friends. She was fond of saying, “There’s a prayer in every square”. She was the thread that held her family together and long after she is gone they will all still be wrapped in the love she sewed into her quilts.
Rev Rehkopf happiest when serving others. She was called to the ministry and ordained in 1962. Her ministry was one of love and non-judgement of others. When second husband, L.W. (Bill) Rehkopf died in 1973, she (with the help of volunteers -family & friends) built Pine Grove Church in 1975. All faiths were welcome. She served as pastor until she was past 100 and could no longer walk across the yard. The Michigan House of Representatives did a tribute to her on her 100th birthday. Her last official act as a minister was to perform a marriage in her livingroom for her grandson son, Ray and his fiancé, Julie Birdsall, on Feb. 4th, 2004.
Rev Rehkopf passed away on Easter Sunday, the day her Lord and Savior arose--for her very fitting that He took her with Him on that day.
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