Emily Josephine Kuchera Michels, 92, of Albert Lea, went home to Jesus on Nov. 1, 2008, at 1:10 a.m. She passed away of congestive heart failure but still knew her family up to the last few days. The funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Church of Christ, 1705 SE Marshall St., Albert Lea. The Rev. Mike Gerhardt will officiate. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church.
Emily was born on Nov. 18, 1915, to Joseph and Louisa Kuchera in Glenville. She was the sixth of seven children in the family. She attended school in Glenville and graduated from high school in Albert Lea in 1933. She gave the commencement address and was fourth highest in her class. She met the love of her life, Mathew Michels and they were married on Aug. 8, 1936. They lived in Glenville until 1943 and then moved to Albert Lea.
Emily worked as a piano player in her brother-in-law’s band, a telephone operator in Glenville in the days of switchboards and later in life as a beautician. Her favorite job was being a wife to Matt, a homemaker and a mother to Lola and later Lori. During World War II, Emily took in boarders into their home for income while Matt was serving in the Marines and stationed in Japan.
Lola was born in 1940 and they enjoyed the joys of parenthood and being a family. Then in 1960 Lori was added to the family and the bottles and diapers started all over again. When Emily was in her fifties she went back to Ritter’s Beauty School and became a beautician. She never lacked customers and was the barber of choice for her relatives and neighbors. She also worked for a time at St. John’s and when one of her ladies would pass on she volunteered to fix their hair for their funeral.
Emily’s God-given gift was hospitality and she always had a fresh bed and a place setting open at her table to offer any friend or relative passing through town. She was truly the happiest when surrounded by family and extended family. She enjoyed crocheting afghans and gifting them to anyone she knew was celebrating a happy occasion. It is estimated that she made more than 300 in her lifetime. She was a member of Al-Anon and a lifetime member of the Eagles Women’s Auxiliary of Albert Lea.
Emily is survived by her daughter and sons-in-law, Lola and Bill Fritsch and Lori and Bill Bagley; her grandsons Mike (Laurie) Fritsch, John (Gail) Fritsch and Mark (Leigh Ann) Fritsch; her granddaughters: Jenny and Becky Bagley; and her great-grandson, Mathew Fritsch (Mike’s son). She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and a host of other loved ones that are so many and so dear we couldn’t possibly name them all. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, Matt in 1992, and other family members.
Emily followed Jesus all her life and in her final days she was given the chance to say goodbye to many she knew and loved. It was her dearest wish that all her loved ones would come to know Jesus as their personal Savior and she looked forward to the greatest of all family reunions in heaven.
Emily, Em, Mom, Mimi, Auntie Em — you are a treasure and loved by all of us. You will be greatly missed, but we will be together again.