ERIKA KOBER

Erika Kober, age 95, of Appleton, WI, was surrounded by her loving family as she finally found peace on October 14, 2021, after enduring Alzheimer's disease for the last 8 years. Erika was born in Hochdonn, Germany, on May 23, 1926, daughter of Ferdinand and Antje Lucht.

Erika grew up during extremely difficult economic and political times in Germany. In 1940, at the age of 14, after finishing Volksschule, Erika spent a year working in a household taking care of the children and home. This was a customary practice for teenage girls at the time. Then in 1941, she had to do hard labor on a local farm because Hitler was drafting all men for WWII. Since Erika had always wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, she also found a way to take part in a two-year training program, but then she got diphtheria, the war came to an end, and everything fell apart.

Erika met her husband of 67 years, Willi (Bill), playing table tennis at a factory where they both worked after the war. Because of the devastation of the war, they decided to immigrate to the United States, where Erika's uncle had also moved, to seek a better life. Erika and Bill arrived with their little daughter in New York Harbor, December of 1953, and then boarded a train for Chicago.

Erika and Bill were blessed with four children. During the difficult early years, Erika cleaned houses, did ironing, took care of the elderly, and babysat, all while trying to learn English. As life got easier, she loved knitting, quilting, doing crafts, and playing cards.  Erika also enjoyed volunteering, especially teaching German in an after-school program and teaching knitting classes.  Erika's greatest treasure was her family. She cherished all the times her kids and grandchildren spent at the lake. In her senior years, she loved staying physically fit and often competed in walking events, even winning a 6 mile event in the over 65 category. She was 75 at the time. Erika was a gentle, loving, and kind person with a pure heart of gold. She was an inspiration to so many and her beautiful spirit will live on through the love of her family.

Erika is survived by her children: Barbara (Ed Kozel) Kober, Rockford, IL; Richard (Lora) Kober, Morton, IL; Herbert (Angie) Kober, Westcliffe, CO; Robert (Lisa) Kober, Brillion, WI; 6 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and family in Germany. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill in Appleton; grandson, Peter, in Westcliffe, CO; and siblings Ernst, Henny, Gerhardt, Wilma, and Lisa all in Germany.

The Kober family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Heartwood Senior Homes and Aseracare Hospice for their loving and compassionate care of their mother during the last almost 4 years of her life.

A memorial service will be held on at 3:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 28, 2021, at Menasha's Westgor Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 2:00 P.M. until the hour of service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Cure Alzheimer's Fund at curealz.org.