Emil C. Droge, 94, Seneca, KS, died Thursday evening, September 1, 2005, at Crestview Manor in Seneca. He bravely fought cancer.

He was born March 24, 1911, on a farm near Pawnee City, NE, the son of Henry A. and Gertrude Berdau Droge. The family moved near Nashua, MT and homesteaded land. They returned to farm north of Seneca when Emil was seven years old, and he attended Prairie Grove School and worked on the family farm.

In April of 1940 Emil moved to Los Angeles where was employed by Douglas Aircraft. He attended machining and electrical schools and was a machinist for the company for 33 years. After his retirement, he did handyman work in the Los Angeles area.

Later he returned to the Droge farm north of Seneca and then moved into Seneca. He did carpenter work for people, such as building tables for restaurants, quilt racks, and shelving. He did a lot of work at his church, as well as finishing work in the homes of his family and at the Pony Express Museum.

On July 4, 1940, he married Maxine L. Harper in Yuma, AZ. She preceded him in death on December 27, 1988.

He was a member of Friedens United Church of Christ, north of Seneca, and a former member of Westchester Methodist Church in Los Angeles, where he and his wife taught Sunday School. He was a member of the Machinists Union #725.

Emil was community minded and contributed to the STEP Foundation. He received a special award for his work at the Pony Express Museum in Seneca.

Survivors are a daughter, Elaine Barry of Bend, OR; a son, Russell L. Droge of Taiwan; five brothers, Leslie and Arden Droge of Seneca, Charles Droge of Snohomish, WA, John Droge of Waldorf, MD, and Harry Droge of Council Grove, KS; and seven grandchildren.

Besides his wife Maxine, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Clarence and Leonard; and three sisters, Helen Rhodes, Margaret Kirk, and Eleanor Duello.

Funeral service will be 2 PM Tuesday at Friedens United Church of Christ, with burial in the church cemetery. Family will meet with friends from 7 to 8 PM Monday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Memorials may be given for the Friedens Church, the American Cancer Society, or the Pony Express Museum, and sent in care of the family.