Irene "Pat" Buhnerkempe (84) of Lillyville

Irene “Pat” Buhnerkempe, 84, of Sigel (Lillyville), IL, went to be with the Lord at 10:25 p.m. Saturday evening November 11, 2017, at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, surrounded by her loved ones.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Pat will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 17 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lillyville. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Church Cemetery in Lillyville. Visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 6:00 p.m. parish wake service Thursday at the church. Services are in the care of Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham. Memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Church, Lillyville or donor’s choice.

Online condolences may be shared by clicking here.

Pat was born on April 25, 1933, in St. Francis Township, IL, the daughter of Alfred and Anna (Haskenherm) Thoele. She married Arthur Buhnerkempe on August 8, 1953, and he preceded her in death on July 31, 2013. Pat was a dairy farmer’s wife. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Lillyville, Lillyville Ladies’ Sodality, Cumberland County Home Extension, and a past member of Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She enjoyed playing pinochle, gardening, tending to her flowers, quilting, crocheting, and baking. In retirement, she enjoyed her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and spoiling her four-legged dog, Smokey.

Survivors include her children, Dennis Buhnerkempe of Sigel, Judy (Kenny) Brummer of Dieterich, Roger (Tory) Buhnerkempe of Watson, Gary Buhnerkempe of Sigel, Gail (Terry) Esker of Effingham, Nancy (Dale) Buening of Effingham, Linda (Pete) Haslett of Indianapolis, IN; 15 grandchildren, Michelle (Alan) Kollmann, Brian (Sheryl) Brummer, Christy (Robert) Klingler, Bruce (Cara) Brummer, Greg (Kristen) Brummer, Matt (Candace) Brummer, Kyle Brummer, Travis (Julie) Buhnerkempe, Jake (Sarah) Buhnerkempe, Ben Esker, Blake Esker, Ellie Buening, Rachel Buening, Derek Haslett, and Dylan Haslett; 25 great-grandchildren; brother, Leroy (Dory) Thoele of Teutopolis; and sister-in-law, Martha Thoele of Teutopolis.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and brother, Richard Thoele.