Thecla Marie "Tillie" Albers died peacefully at Logan County Hospital on December 24, 2007, with her family at her side. She was born on June 14, 1916 on a farm near Angelus, Kansas. She was the sixth of eight children born to Herman Henry and Anna Angla Von Lintel Robben. A defining moment of her life was the death of her mother when she was only six years old. She later lived with her sisters until September, 1934 when she married Martin Bernard Albers. They started their life together on the old Lynch farm along the Saline River north of Grinnell. They had their first son, James, in 1935 and tragically lost him 5 years later due to a farm accident. They went on to have three more children: Carol, Joyce, and Don.
After 38 years, Tillie and Martin retired from the farm and moved to Oakley. Martin preceded her in death on January 20, 1990. She managed to stay in her home until a few months ago when she fell and could no longer live alone.
She was active in the D of I, and the Altar Society. She was a member of a bowling league, she worked for several years at the Grinnell Locker, but mostly she devoted her energy to raising and supporting her children, and enjoying her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved to cook and was very good at it. She baked bread every weekend, and was famous for her grape pie, and was always happy to bake for fundraisers and parties. She was a skilled seamstress and knitter, and she enjoyed playing cards.
Tillie was preceded in death by her husband Martin, and their son James, parents Herman and Anna Robben; three brothers, Otto Robben, Lawrence Robben, and Pete Robben; and three sisters, Walburga Baalman, Lucy Ostmeyer and Leoba Baalman.
Survivors include her son Don and wife Ellen of Grinnell; two daughters, Carol Junk and husband Paul of Salina, and Joyce Albers and husband Jerry Mendelson of Kansas City, MO; a sister, Eileen Shea of Bartlesville, OK; nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
Tillie was dearly loved and will be missed by all of her family and friends.