Thelma Streifler (Emshoff)

Thelma was born in Frankfort, Indiana on June 8, 1914 to Henry and Hattie Emshoff. She died peacefully in her home at Grace Village, in Winona Lake, Indiana on January 12, 2015, at the age of 100.5.

Thelma grew up in Frankfort and graduated from Frankfort High in 1932. While working as a cashier in Wheeler's Restaurant, she met Paul Gakstatter who was a linotype operator for the Frankfort Times. On Christmas day of 1935, she and Paul married and moved to Indianapolis in 1937. Their marriage lasted until Paul's death in 1971 and produced four children: Charles (deceased), Jack, Jill and Art.

In the early years of their marriage, Thelma was busy raising her children and being a homemaker. In 1950, the family moved to an 80 acre farm in Pike Township where Thelma maintained a hive of bees for honey, raised collies and made butter from the cream of their Jersey cows. She was very active in the Salem Lutheran Church in New Augusta where she taught Sunday school and was involved in youth activities. For many years at Christmas, she would make upwards of 100 pounds of fruitcake for gifts and members of the church who placed orders. She was a Girl Scout leader (known as Mrs. G) in Pike Township for 15 years, sometimes taking her girls camping, which was a rare activity for Girl Scout leaders in those days. She and her scouts had many good times and fond memories of those camping trips.

When her children got older, Thelma went to work at the Indiana University Medical Center, first in the Personnel Department and then for several years in the Chaplain’s Office as a secretary and office manager. She was also a part-time bookkeeper and welfare investigator for Pike Township while her husband served as the Township Trustee.

The year after Paul's death, Thelma moved to Bradenton, Florida where she eventually met Josef Streifler, a retired cartographer for the US Coast and Geodetic Survey. She and Josef married in 1974 and remained happily married until his death in 1987. She and Josef traveled frequently to Germany to visit friends and relatives and, in her later years, Thelma continued to travel extensively around the world, visiting more than 20 countries.

In 1995, at the age of 81, Thelma decided to move from Florida back to Indiana to be closer to family. She selected her own retirement complex in Pike Township and made the move on her own. She lived at Robin Run until November 2002 before moving to Grace Village in Winona Lake, Indiana to be near her youngest son, Art, and his family. She lived happily at Grace Village during her final years.

Thelma is remembered as a kind and caring friend by all who knew her. She loved her children and grandchildren dearly and was very proud of each of them.

Survivors include her sons, Jack (Susanne) of Portland, Oregon, Art (Cookie) of Winona Lake, Indiana, daughter, Jill (Robert) Breton of West Jefferson, North Carolina, 10 grandchildren, including Angie (Kyle) Tom, and Andee (Ryan) Tilden of Warsaw, IN., Allison (Jon) Martin of Noblesville, IN, Belinda (Bo) Rodgers of Vevay, IN., 29 great grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren.

Remembrances in Thelma's name can be made to Grace Village (337 Grace Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590), Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church (424 W. Market St., Warsaw, Indiana 46580) or The Breakfast Optimist Club (102 East Market St., Warsaw, Indiana 46580) C/O Scholarship Fund.

Family and friends of Thelma Streifler will gather together Saturday, January 17, 2015 from 1 – 2 PM at Grace Village Retirement Community Chapel, Winona Lake; with a celebration of her life at 2 PM with Pastor Corinne Hodges of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Warsaw. Burial will be at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis at a later date.

The staff of Titus Funeral Home considers it a privilege to care for the family and friends of Thelma M. Streifler.