Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Today would have been my Grandpa Doerfler’s 102nd birthday! He passed away about six years ago, but it seems like much longer. I miss him every day, he was quite the character! I recently wrote something about him, his family and the house they lived in for a Parade of Homes in Pflugerville, my hometown. Thought I’d share it with you…enjoy! Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Bernhardt (Bernie) Otto Doerfler was born December 9, 1907 and married Minnie Sophie Wernli on July 22, 1936. They were parents to two children – Steve and Ruby – and had 10 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. In 1962, the Doerflers moved into their new red brick house at 301 South 5th Street in Pflugerville.

Built by a fellow Pflugerville resident, the house sat on more than two acres of plush, green land. Bernie wasted no time planting pecan and oak trees. He was also fond of concrete yard art animals and over the years, he placed statues of deer, chickens, frogs, etc. in his yard. At one point, he had a concrete water fall, a totem poll, a swing and a string of lights in his yard. Known to some as “Doerfler Park,” Bernie’s yard was his pride and joy. He knew every inch of it by heart and continued to mow it with his bright green John Deere riding lawnmower well into his 80s, even after losing his sight to macular degeneration.

Bernie was one of eight children born to John Gottlieb Doerfler and Mary Wuthrich Doerfler, who settled in Pflugerville in 1899. Bernie’s grandparents were Pastor Johann (John) Doerfler, who was born in Germany in 1844, and Salome Schwander, who was born in 1849 in France. Salome arrived in Chicago in 1873 and moved to Texas in 1875; John came to Texas in 1874 and was ordained as a Pastor in 1876. Pastor John Doerfler led the congregation at Zion Lutheran Church in Arneckeville, TX. Apparently, Pastor John and Salome met in Pflugerville while attending a church service, so Pflugerville played an important role in the John Doerfler family. They spent early years in Arneckeville, then moved on to churches in other small Texas towns – Ross Prairie, Temple, Taylor, Walburg and Bartlett. Pastor John retired and the family moved to a farm near Granger, TX. John and Salome built a house in Weir, TX in 1908; most of their children lived near the homestead in Weir, except for John and Mary (Bernie’s parents), who settled in Pflugerville.

The Doerflers were early Lutheran missionaries in Texas. Several of Bernie’s brothers were Lutheran pastors and he served as an elder at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pflugerville for years. Bernie could recite Bible verses, word for word, and taught himself to play Lutheran hymns on an organ when he was in his 70s. Bernie attended Texas Lutheran College in Seguin and coached the women’s basketball team after graduation.

After marrying Minnie, they settled in Pflugerville, and Bernie worked as a Texaco consignee for over 40 years. He operated three Texaco stations in the Austin area, including one at the corner of Pecan and Railroad in Pflugerville, currently the site of a Shell gas station. Minnie worked as a bookkeeper at the Pflugerville Texaco,until taking a job with the Texas Comptroller’s Office. The Doerflers even named their dog “Tex,” and called him a Texaco mascot.

After retiring from Texaco, Bernie worked as a Bailiff in the 261st District Court at the Travis County Courthouse. He retired in his 80s because Minnie’s health had declined and he needed to be home to care for her. Minnie passed away in November 1993. They were married for 57 years.

Bernie continued to live by himself in his home until the last three years of his life. Caregivers were hired, but eventually his daughter Ruby retired from the state herself and moved in with him, caring for him until his death in April 2003 at the age of 95.