Thresa Brunkhardt Kautz

Washington County near Hillrose, Colorado, to Katherine & Jakob Brunkhardt. She

passed at age 96 on March 15, 2024, in Arvada.

Thresa said her mother gave her a strong work ethic and was the greatest influence in

her life. She grew up on a farm about 1 mile from her birth house. The name “Theresa”

came from an acquaintance of her father’s in Germany. The name on her Baptismal

Certificate is spelled “Theresa.” In first grade, Thresa could not remember to put the first

“e” in Theresa. The teacher let it slide and the name has been spelled “Thresa” since

then. Thresa’s parents had a total of 21 children when all of the couple’s step-children

are included in the count.

Thresa, along with several of her siblings, did not receive a birth certificate until May

4, 1951.

German was spoken in the home, but in order to gain U.S. Citizenship, Jakob

learned English. Katherine also spoke some English.

Church was an important part of life and at Lutheran Saturday School, religion was

taught in German. At Sunday services men sat on one side of the church with

the women on the other; the children sat in the front.

Thresa loved playing baseball, red rover and kick the can with her full six brothers and

one sister. The large family of children spent much of their childhood working on the

farm. Thresa was thinning and weeding the beet field by age six. Thresa often talked

about “beets” and remembered at the age of five carrying water to the beet field with

her brothers Bill and Albert.

As a child, Thresa didn’t think about what the future might hold for her. She grew up as

a happy kid who didn’t know much about the world outside of her small community. She

didn’t remember the Depression as the family had plenty of chickens and eggs to eat.

Thresa did not speak English until she went to school. Learning to read and studying

English were Thresa’s favorite subjects at Roosevelt School. Roosevelt School had

twelve grades and two grades per room. One of her memories from school was

erasing the names on Valentine cards and reusing them. At Roosevelt High School,

Thresa played and lettered in basketball and baseball. She also played the lead part

in a school play. She graduated in 1946.

Thresa went to a July 4th picnic in 1949 and met her future husband, Ruben. In

Ruben’s favor was that he was Lutheran and a German. Ruben Kautz and Thresa

Brunkhardt were married November 27, 1949, in Merino, Colorado. After Ruben

and Thresa got married, they farmed in the Brush and then Hillrose areas. They finally

settled close to Atwood and remained there until their sale in 1978. During their

marriage they had three children; Judy, Ed, and Linda. Ruben and Thresa moved to

Sterling after retiring from the farm. Ruben passed away in 1981.

Thresa always liked to stay busy and was very social. She worked at the Gold Bond

Stamp store for a few years and then was a seamstress for Miller Stockman for about

five years. Thresa followed that up by doing laundry and sewing for Sterling

middle school boys’ athletics teams under the Green Thumb Program, a

training program. Thresa worked in the laundry room at Devonshire Acres Ltd., a

nursing home in Sterling, from 1983 through 2007. She retired at age 80.

One of her major accomplishments was recording historical facts about her

family and to handwrite a family history book that included information about

her father’s and mother’s families. This was quite an impressive feat.

Dancing had always been a favorite activity and she received a “Bachelor of Square

Dancing” certificate in 1992. She met Everett Newton at a Heritage Center Saturday

night dance in 1991. They danced weekly until Everett broke his leg at age 99. In

addition, the two prepared three turkeys and the potatoes and gravy each year for the

Heritage Center Christmas Party. Everett passed away in 2015 after reaching the age

of 105.

Thresa’s hobbies also included sewing and quilting. She loved parties, music

and dancing as well as playing games with her children and grandchildren. Later in

life she spent many hours coloring with colored pencils. As she went through the stages

of life, Thresa always adapted to whatever life threw at her and enjoyed being around

people.

Thresa is survived by her children: Judy Kerschner (Ron), Ed Kautz (Brenda) and

Linda Jessop. She also was a proud grandmother to seven grandchildren: Veronica

Thompson (Robert), Russell Kerschner (Brandi), Brandy Kautz, Joe Biggs, Sommer

Martinez, Kindra Richartz (Dustin) and Dean Jessop (Christine). She’s additionally

survived by 25 great grandchildren as well as three great-great grandchildren.

Pallbearers: Ed Kautz, Brandy Kautz, Ron Kerschner, Russ Kerschner, Robert

Thompson, Dean Jessop, Dustin Richartz, Godsons: Bill Brunkhardt and Allen

Brunkhardt.

Junior pallbearers and Great Grandchildren: Olivia and Elizabeth Thompson, Sophie

and Charles Kerschner, Chloe Kautz, Amanda Biggs, Tamara Collins, Danielle

Biggs, Sean Biggs, McKenzie and Brennan Martinez, Daniel and Kylee Richartz,

Jaden and Kyra Jessop.

She will be greatly missed by family, friends and caregivers.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Dignity Hospice, 400 East 84th Avenue, #202 Thornton,CO 80229 or to ypour favorite charity.