Jerolene Louise Buehrig

Jerolene Louise Buehrig was born Nov. 28,1930 at St. Joseph’s hospital in Fort Worth Texas. Her parents were John J. Knebles and Estelle Mae Knebles. She passed on Oct. 28 at home with her beloved of 72 years Jim,1 month shy of her 96th birthday.

Jerrie grew up as a city girl in Chicago and graduated from Senn High School. She was a Cubs baseball fan and attended many games. She has an autographed baseball from some favorite Cubs players and even though he wasn’t a Cub, she got Ted Williams autograph. She also attended Northwestern University and worked at Marshal Fields department store in Chicago. As a child she visited relatives in Waco and Mart many times and even road the train by herself at 10 years old to Texas.

In her 20’s she moved to Fort Worth, got a job with Central Air Lines, and while there she met Jimmy Stewart, part owner of Central Air Lines. Later she found a new job with Gulf Oil in Fort Worth as a secretary, where she met Anna Mae Buehrig, who was also a secretary and sister of James Buehrig. James came home from pilot training and asked his mom where his sister was. His mom said she was a bride’s maid at a wedding on Carswell AFB. James said “I’ll crash the wedding”. He knew the bride and Jerrie was a bride’s maid. They got acquainted and danced at the wedding. When he later told her he would marry her, her response was “we will see about that.” The marriage took place at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Ft. Worth on Feb. 20th 1954.

She embraced the military lifestyle with all the moves, schools, scouting, little leagues and even taking care of all of us for a year while Jim had a remote tour in Alaska. She was a member of the Officers Wives Club and a Chorale singer. Jerrie and Jim had a wonderful life together, raising 5 children, then traveling the world on cruises and a few times with Kathy on Pan Am.

She is survived by her husband James, and her children and their spouses Christopher and Jane Buehrig, Mark Buehrig, Katharine and Mark Pearl, David and Betsy Buehrig, and Richard Buehrig. They enjoyed their 10 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. Jerrie might call the family immense.