Marie L. Vogel was born December 10, 1911 in Eustis, Nebraska, the oldest child of the Rev. Fredrick and Matilda "Tillie" (Kraushaar) Krauss. She died Sunday, December 26, 2010 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska at the age of 99.

As an infant, Marie was baptized into the family of God at the St. John's Lutheran Church in Eustis, Nebraska. She was confirmed in her faith at the St. James Evengelical Lutheran Church in Garden City, Kansas in 1927.

Marie attended schools in both Cook and Plainview, Nebraska and also in Garden City, Kansas, locations where her father was ministering at the time. In 1928 their family moved to Stuttgart, Kansas where her father became pastor of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Marie attended Phillipsburg High School her junior and senior years, participating in the Drama Club and winning top honors at State Music Contest in Voice. She graduated with the class of 1930 and received her 'normal training' certificate to teach. She taught classes in the rural Pleasant College and Pleasant Hill country schools, which were both located in the Stuttgart area.

On October 15, 1933, Marie and Howard J. Vogel were married by her father in the Emmanuel Lutheran Church. The young couple made their home on a farm south of Stuttgart. This union was blessed with six children: Robert, Stanley, Karen, Patricia, Peggy and Douglas. In 1938 they moved their family to Phillipsburg, Kansas and Howard established the Vogel Implement Company. Marie and Howard were business partners until their retirement in 1977.

Besides being a wife and homemaker, Marie was a devoted mother who attended all of her children's school activities and sporting events. She loved working outdoors, growing flowers in the yard and vegetables in the garden. She also enjoyed baking and canning, and on many days you would find her setting extra plates at the table for friends, acquaintances, or anyone who needed a home-cooked meal or a bit of friendly conversation.
Next to her children and family, Marie's life centered around the church. She was a faithful and active member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Stuttgart and later, the Zion Lutheran Church in Phillipsburg. Both churches benefited from her musical talents in the choir, her leadership and involvement in their women's groups, and her dedication as a Sunday school teacher.

In addition to her love of the church, Marie always found time to give to her community as well. She was blessed with a beautiful soprano voice and sang as a soloist with the Phillipsburg Mothers Club & Choir. She served on the initial board for the Community Fund, was a member of the Cultus Club, she and Howard were charter members of the Golden Years Center, and she regularly volunteered at the hospital for the Phillips County Hospital Auxiliary. Even after Howard's death in 1998, Marie continued to generously support her church and various other community projects.

Her passions and hobbies included reading, playing cards, bowling, traveling, rugmaking, and all forms of needlework. Her family members treasure the quilts she's made over the years, the last one being quilted at age 95 as a gift for her great-granddaughter.
Marie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and was admired and cherished by her family. She had that special ability to make people feel welcome and cared for, and her smile touched the heart of everyone she met. She will be greatly missed.

Her husband of 65 years preceded her in death, along with her parents; three brothers: Karl, Otto and Robert; and one stepsister, Lies.

Survivors include three sons: Bob & wife, Sally, of Denver, CO; Stan & wife, Solveig, of Ramsey, MN; and Doug & wife, Joy, of Marion, KS; three daughters: Karen Rankin & husband, Dave, of Phillipsburg, KS; Pat Lertora, also of Phillipsburg; and Peggy Hetrick of Omaha, NE; one sister, Gertrude Onstad & husband, Reuben, of San Diego, CA; one brother, Gene Krauss & wife, Lucy, of Des Moines, IA; sisters-in-law, Leona Tannahill of Lee's Summit, MO and Margaret Martin of Fullerton, CA; brother-in-law, Edwin Vogel & wife, Ruth, of Topeka, KS; eleven grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. in the Zion Lutheran Church, Phillipsburg, KS with Pastor Lorna Paulus officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.

Visitation will be Thursday from noon – 9 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with the family receiving friends from
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Friday evening.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Zion Lutheran Church, the Phillipsburg City Library, or the Oaks Indian Mission.