Marie Vollbracht Passes at Age 95
Marie Louise Vollbracht, 95, of St. Paul passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at Brookefield Park in St. Paul. Mrs. Vollbracht requested that her body be cremated and buried with her parents in the family plot at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery. Peters Funeral Home in St. Paul was in charge of arrangements, and she requested no services.
Marie was born on October 13, 1927, in St. Paul, to Joseph and Amelia (Skrivan) Puncochar and raised on the family farm along the Middle Loup River south of St. Paul. Survivors of her immediate family include her daughter, Teresa Vollbracht of Bend, Oregon; son, Joe and daughter-in-law, Jean (Hanisch) Vollbracht of Northlake, Texas; and son, John and daughter-in-law, Cheri (Becker) Vollbracht of Sanford, North Carolina. She is also survived by her beloved nieces and her four grandchildren, Trina Anthony and her husband, Trevor, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Michael Vollbracht of Coppell, Texas, Kelly Vollbracht of Flower Mound, Texas, and Jackie Vollbracht of Sanford, North Carolina; and her two great-grandchildren, Vienna and William Anthony of Minneapolis, both of whom added immense joy to her life.
Marie attended school in St. Paul and graduated as the valedictorian of her class at St. Paul High School in 1945. She was united in marriage to Mark Vollbracht in 1950 and lived in various towns throughout Nebraska while Mark worked as a civil engineer for the Bureau of Reclamation. Marie graduated from McCook Junior College in 1964, again as valedictorian of her class, and then moved with her family to Chiang Rai, Thailand in 1965, where Mark worked as an engineer for United States Aid for International Development. Upon returning from Thailand in 1967, Mrs. Vollbracht began teaching elementary education for the Elba school district. She subsequently transitioned to teaching elementary education in the St. Paul school district in 1969, during which time she graduated from Kearney State College with her teaching degree. Mrs. Vollbracht retired from fulltime teaching in 1993, but remained on the staff at St. Paul Elementary School as a substitute teacher for several years. Upon completely retiring from teaching, Marie moved back to the family farm, where she stayed busy as a master gardener and provider to her many friends and neighbors in the community. She was affiliated with the American Legion Auxiliary, Catholic Daughters, and PEO, and volunteered in numerous 4-H and Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church projects. A lifelong world traveler, Mrs. Vollbracht visited all fifty states and dozens of foreign countries. During her life, she survived direct hits from three separate tornadoes, barely survived teaching her own children in Thailand, was a gifted pianist, organist, and vocalist, could type 120 words a minute on a manual typewriter, wanted nothing to do with a computer or cell phone, and was just fine with that.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Mark; brother, Jim and sister-in-law, Dee (Rubesh) Puncochar; and infant brother, Joseph. She was also preceded in death by many friends and neighbors, whom she cherished as family, and by several of her students, all of whom she loved as much as her own children. In lieu of memorials or flowers to the family, Marie would prefer you give your children an extra hug from her the next time you see them. However, if you feel compelled, memorials are suggested to the St. Paul Community Library Foundation.