Bernice Ella Buenger Malek

Bernice Ella Buenger Malek, 92, of Wharton, Texas, died May 28, 2016, in Wharton, Texas. Bernice was born on December 12, 1923, to Bernhard and Nancie Koehl Buenger, in Dillworth, Texas. She met John Malek at Hilljie dance hall. They were married at Holy Family Catholic Church on February 13, 1945. The family lived in Garwood, Houston and two homes in Wharton, where they built a brick home in 1961. John died May 13, 1977 in Bay City. She started working in the Joe Schartz store in Wharton as a seamstress. She also sewed and altered clothes out of her home. She remembered working hard and playing hard. Some of her favorite pastimes were sewing, playing baseball, bowling, cooking, gardening, quilting, canning and crocheting quilts She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; daughter Brenda Katherine Malek; son Ronald Charles Malek; sisters May Bell Hilda Windham, and her husband William Windham; brothers L.T. Buenger and wife Eleanor, Lee Roy Edmund Buenger and wife Lena, Raymond Frank Buenger and wife Clara and grandaughter Linda Suzanne Malek. She is survived by her daughter Linda Marie Malek Bock and husband Ernest; sons Michael Wayne Malek and wife Connie and Donald Carl Malek and wife Lela Williamson; grandchildren Allan Wayne Bock and wife Melanie, and Leigh Ann Bryant and husband Tobori; great-grandchildren Ashley & Jeff Wensrich, Zachary Borgesmiller, John Allan Bock, Shelby Bock Bannert, Hayley Bryant and Faith Bryant; great-great-grandchild Taliyah Bryant and daughter in law Debbie Malek. Services will be held on Wednesday, June 1, at Holy Family Catholic Church. Rosary will start at 1:00 p.m. followed by the Funeral Mass at 1:30, with Father Bob Knippenberg officiating. Burial will follow at Wharton City Cemetery. Serving as Pallbearers will be Allan Bock, John Allan Bock, William B. Johnson, Lonnie Heimann, Ernest Giesie and Melvin Buenger. Honorary Pallbearers will be Paul Windham, Leland Buenger and Roy “Butch” Buenger In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to: Holy Family Catholic Church, 2011 Briar Lane, Wharton, TX 77488 Funeral services under the direction of Wharton Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at www. whartonfuneralhome.com.