Caroline Ellis Buerger

Mrs. Buerger was blessed with a long, productive, interesting, and at times, adventuresome life. Born on February 1, 1923, she was the daughter of Mary Earle Purvis Ellis and prominent Mobile business man and entrepreneur Robert Trimble Ellis. She grew up in Mobile and after graduation from Murphy High School, attended Virginia Intermont College until she departed in 1943, to marry her husband of 54 years, Dr. Claude Leon Buerger, Jr. The couple resided in New Orleans until Dr. Buerger completed medical school and his residency, and they returned to Mobile.

A notable example of her adventuresome side was voluntary service as a uniformed member of the Civil Air Patrol during World War II. Said service included airborne patrols and search and rescue missions in light aircraft, duties that she actually relished carrying out. Others were the many trips that she and her family enjoyed (or sometimes not) on Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in their 32 foot Chris Craft, the Lady D, their 48 foot round-bottom classic, the Sea Witch, and their 54 foot Juniper shrimp boat, the Big Joe. Mrs. Buerger was known for getting together the provisioning on a moment’s notice when a sea trip was in the offing. And then there was her epic six and a half hour battle, finally bringing to boat side in the middle of the night a monster Blue Marlin estimated at 14 feet and 1,000 pounds.

On the home front, Mrs. Buerger was handy and never hesitant about tackling a household breakdown. With her wrenches, screwdrivers and such, she was known to repair the likes of clogged drains, burned out dryer belts, leaky toilets and faulty light switches. She might emerge from one of her projects, smudged and scuffed, but whatever she had been working on would almost always have been set to rights.

During her life, Mrs. Buerger was generous with her time and efforts on behalf of others. She was a long-serving member of the Colonial Dames of America and volunteered extensively for the Organization’s Fort Conde and Fort Charlotte projects. She was also active in Mobile’s Junior League and a frequent volunteer at Murray House Assisted Living. Reflecting her strong Faith, she was for many years an Alter Guild member at All Saints Episcopal Church in Mobile and later at St Mary’s By the Sea in Coden. She also supported her children by membership on various committees while they were in school in Mobile and was a long-time member of the Fowl River Garden Club.

Mrs. Buerger was predeceased by her husband, but is survived by her four children, Deborah Buerger Moore (Frank), Susan Buerger Moore, Patricia Buerger Tyler (Danny, deceased), and Claude Leon Buerger, III. “Tres” (Paula), eight grandchildren, and sixteen great grandchildren.

The family wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to the attentive, patient, and competent staff and administration of Murray House Assisted Living, where Mrs. Buerger had been in residence for the past two years and for the skilled and compassionate care she received at Allen Health and Rehabilitation during the time of her final illness.

There will be a memorial service at 3:00 PM on Saturday February 23, 2019, at All Saints Episcopal Church followed by visitation at the church. Online condolences may be sent to www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com, and in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in remembrance of Caroline Buerger to Murray House Assisted Living 1257 Government Street Mobile, Alabama 36604