Marie Kachel Bucher
Encyclopedia
Marie Elizabeth Kachel Bucher (1909 – July 27, 2008) was an American
schoolteacher and the last surviving resident member of the German Seventh-Day Baptists religious community
of the Ephrata Cloister
, a United States National Historic Landmark located in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
.
Marie Elizabeth Kachel was born in 1909. Her parents were Reuben S. Kachel and M. Kathryn Zerfass Kachel. She had four sisters and one brother. She was raised on Shady Nook Farm during her early life, which was located in what is now known as the Ephrata Cloister. Her family, who were one of its last residents, often gave tours of the Ephrata Cloister, which was founded by Johann Conrad Beissel in 1732. The Ephrata Cloister was later purchased by the state of Pennsylvania
. Today the Ephrata Cloister is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
as a state museum and tourist attraction.
Kachel graduated from Ephrata High School
in 1927. She earned her bachelor's of science degree from Millersville State Teachers College, which is now known as Millersville University, in 1935. She later earned her Masters degree in education from Penn State University in 1939. Additionally, Kachel also studied at Duke University
and Elizabethtown College
.
Kachel began her teaching career at a one room schoolhouse in Clay Township, Pennsylvania
, which is located in northern Lancaster County
. She later moved to southern Lancaster County in order to take a position in the now defunct East Drumore Township
school district. She eventually retired from teaching after working as a math teacher at Solanco High School
, a public high school for many years.
Kachel married her husband, Loren H. Bucher, an East Drumore Township farmer
, in 1945. The couple had two children, Loren K. Bucher and Christina Bucher during their marriage. Kachel Bucher never formally joined the Church of the Brethren
, but taught adult Bible
study and remained active in the Church's congregation in Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
. In her later years, Bucher wrote and researched a book on the history of the Church of the Brethren's Mechanics Grove congregation entitled "A Century of Service at the Grove". Bucher was 87 years old when the book was written and published in 1997.
Marie Elizabeth Kachel Bucher died at the Quarryville Presbyterian Home in Quarryville, Pennsylvania
, on July 27, 2008, at the age of 98. She had resided at the nursing home
since November 2007. Her death marked the passing of the last surviving resident of the Ephrata Cloister. Her funeral was held at the Saal at the Ephrata Cloister on July 31, 2008, and she was buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Bucher was survived by her children, Loren and Christina. She had been preceded in death by her husband and her siblings; four sisters - Kitty Kachel Strickler, Dorothy Kachel Grabill, Margaret P. Kachel, and Ruth Kachel Donough - and her brother, Daniel S. Kachel.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
schoolteacher and the last surviving resident member of the German Seventh-Day Baptists religious community
Religious community
A religious community is a community who practice the same religion.In the wider sense it may describe members of one religion who live near or intermingled with members of other religions, who may often mix together in everyday life but worship separately. One might speak of the Catholic...
of the Ephrata Cloister
Ephrata Cloister
The Ephrata Cloister or Ephrata Community was a religious community, established in 1732 by Johann Conrad Beissel at Ephrata, in what is now Lancaster County, Pennsylvania...
, a United States National Historic Landmark located in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Ephrata is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, south east of Harrisburg and about west by north of Philadelphia. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its...
.
Marie Elizabeth Kachel was born in 1909. Her parents were Reuben S. Kachel and M. Kathryn Zerfass Kachel. She had four sisters and one brother. She was raised on Shady Nook Farm during her early life, which was located in what is now known as the Ephrata Cloister. Her family, who were one of its last residents, often gave tours of the Ephrata Cloister, which was founded by Johann Conrad Beissel in 1732. The Ephrata Cloister was later purchased by the state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Today the Ephrata Cloister is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania responsible for the collection, conservation and interpretation of Pennsylvania's historic heritage...
as a state museum and tourist attraction.
Kachel graduated from Ephrata High School
Ephrata High School
Ephrata High School is a rural, public secondary school in the Ephrata Area School District located in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.-Graduation Rate:...
in 1927. She earned her bachelor's of science degree from Millersville State Teachers College, which is now known as Millersville University, in 1935. She later earned her Masters degree in education from Penn State University in 1939. Additionally, Kachel also studied at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College is a small comprehensive college located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania in Lancaster County. The school was founded in 1899 by members of the Church of the Brethren...
.
Kachel began her teaching career at a one room schoolhouse in Clay Township, Pennsylvania
Clay Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Clay Township is a township in north central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,173 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, which is located in northern Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. She later moved to southern Lancaster County in order to take a position in the now defunct East Drumore Township
East Drumore Township, Pennsylvania
East Drumore Township is a township in south central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 3,535. It is part of the Solanco School District.-Geography:According to the U.S...
school district. She eventually retired from teaching after working as a math teacher at Solanco High School
Solanco High School
Solanco High School is a secondary school located in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. It is home to approximately 1,300 students.-External links:*-References:...
, a public high school for many years.
Kachel married her husband, Loren H. Bucher, an East Drumore Township farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
, in 1945. The couple had two children, Loren K. Bucher and Christina Bucher during their marriage. Kachel Bucher never formally joined the Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
, but taught adult Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
study and remained active in the Church's congregation in Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
Mechanics Grove, Pennsylvania
Mechanics Grove is an unincorporated community located within East Drumore Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Mechanic Grove is located along U.S. Route 222 south of the town of Quarryville....
. In her later years, Bucher wrote and researched a book on the history of the Church of the Brethren's Mechanics Grove congregation entitled "A Century of Service at the Grove". Bucher was 87 years old when the book was written and published in 1997.
Marie Elizabeth Kachel Bucher died at the Quarryville Presbyterian Home in Quarryville, Pennsylvania
Quarryville, Pennsylvania
Quarryville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2000 census.-General information:*ZIP code: 17566*Area code: 717*Local phone exchanges: 786, 806*Named for noted quarries in the area...
, on July 27, 2008, at the age of 98. She had resided at the nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
since November 2007. Her death marked the passing of the last surviving resident of the Ephrata Cloister. Her funeral was held at the Saal at the Ephrata Cloister on July 31, 2008, and she was buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Bucher was survived by her children, Loren and Christina. She had been preceded in death by her husband and her siblings; four sisters - Kitty Kachel Strickler, Dorothy Kachel Grabill, Margaret P. Kachel, and Ruth Kachel Donough - and her brother, Daniel S. Kachel.