Maria Strauch

Maria Strauch, 94, passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 29, 2018 at Lakewood Memory Care in Lakewood, Colorado. Maria, known lovingly to her surviving family as ‘Oma’, was born on March 6, 1924 in Waltdorf, Neisse County, Germany to parents Paul and Anna Michalke. Maria was born on the family farm in Waltdorf, which was passed down from generation to generation, until the family was forced to flee in 1945 during World War II and the subsequent Russian occupation. After World War II, Maria lived and worked in Dübrichen, East Germany as a housekeeper for an elderly woman, where she met the elderly woman’s grandson, and her future husband, Kurt Strauch. Kurt and Maria fell in love and were married in Dübrichen on New Year’s Day 1948, which was also Kurt's 25th birthday. Kurt often joked that no one remembered to wish him happy birthday on his wedding day! The young couple moved to Hildesheim in West Germany, where their son Manfred was born in 1949. Kurt had a very strong passion to move to America and convinced Maria to leave her family and homeland with their three year old son. They immigrated to Denver in April 1952, not knowing a word of English and carrying only a suitcase and hearts full of hope and love. Maria and Kurt wished to have a baby girl and their wish was fulfilled when Anita was born in 1953. Maria worked as a housekeeper for Mrs. MacIntosh Buell, at the Alameda Pastry Shop that Kurt and Maria owned for a couple of years, and spent the rest of her working years at the Denver Dry Goods Company. She retired at age 62 and thoroughly enjoyed her retirement years with Kurt. Maria and Kurt were active in the German Clubs in Denver; they danced many nights away with friends at the Denver Turnverein and Denver Kickers Sports Club. They enjoyed spending time with their five grandsons, traveling on cruises, road tripping in their motorhome, being ‘snow birds’ in Desert Hot Springs, CA, and making several visits back to Germany. Maria and Kurt were married for nearly 63 years before Kurt’s death in November 2010.

In recent years, Maria was overjoyed to spend time with her four great-grandchildren, Audrey and Henry Strauch and Ryder and Kai Lux.

Maria was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Paul and Max, sister Liesbeth, and husband Kurt. Maria is survived by a sister, Monika Kammler, living in Germany; son Manfred and wife Carolyn Strauch of Colorado Springs and daughter Anita and husband Roland Lux of Lakewood; five grandsons Paul (Anna) and Michael Strauch and Brian (Lauren), David (Michele), and Markus Lux; four great-grandchildren; and extended family in Germany.

Oma will be missed very much by all who were lucky enough to know her spirit, witness her faith, and share a rousing ‘Prost!’ on countless special occasions with friends and family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Maria's honor and memory can be made to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org.