Ursula Stuercken

Ursula Stuercken of Danvers, Massachusetts, passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 after 92 years of a full and beautiful life.

Born Ursula Bodenstedt in 1928 in Bremen, Germany, she survived World War II as a young girl and moved to the United States in 1960 with her husband, Wolfgang, and her two young sons, Michael and Edgar Bruenjes, where she settled in New York City and worked as a seamstress.

Throughout her life, Ursula lived elegantly. She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing gowns at Shulmans in Westchester and eventually running their bridal wear department. Late in her career she became a certified real estate agent working the White Plains area of Westchester. She exhibited a keen sense of fashion in her own dress and contemporary decor.
Ursula was an alto in the Westchester Choral Society for many years and performed with them on several occasions at Lincoln Center. She painted watercolor, and displayed her work in galleries in White Plains, and later in Charleston, South Carolina.

During her two decades in Charleston, she enjoyed the company of her sister and her many dear friends, always busy as she volunteered for the Charleston Symphony, played in a recorder group and ran her own linen business for rental properties on Folly Beach.

She loved the ocean and sunshine, serious bridge games, Christmastime, classical music, challenging puzzles, and a good, long book. She was an accomplished cook, and a world traveler. Even with all of her adventures and talents, Ursula was truly appreciative of the most important things in her life – her family and friends. She always greeted her loved ones with enthusiasm, a big smile, a back-breaking hug, and so much love.

Ursula is equally as loved and remembered by her sons, Michael Bruenjes and his wife Judy, Edgar Bruenjes and his wife Linda, her sister Erika Stancliff and nieces Pamela Morgan and Andrea Stancliff, her grandchildren Alison Evans, Meredith Byrnes and her husband Robert Byrnes, David Bruenjes, and Lily Bruenjes, and her great grandchildren Zachary and Jackson Byrnes.

A memorial service will be held at a later date when her friends and family can come together to celebrate her life.