Twyla Mae Ehrlich

Twyla Mae (Krug) Ehrlich, 84, of Russell, Kansas, died on Friday, January 30, 2026, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.

Twyla was born February 28, 1941 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Hays, Kansas to Tillman L. and Wilma (Boger) Krug.

She was an only child and grew up in Russell County on a farm 10 miles south of Russell. She attended a country school (Mulberry) from 1st—8th grade which was the same school where her father once attended and then attended Russell High School and graduated in the Class of 1958.

She met, fell in love, and was united in marriage to Dale David Ehrlich on February 27, 1965, in Russell. From this union, Twyla and Dale were blessed with 3 children, Thomas, Tori, and Tami.

Twyla was baptized in the Lutheran faith as a baby in the Michaelis Lutheran Church south of Russell in the Sellens Creek area. She attended that church with her parents until it was combined with the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hoisington. She was confirmed and a member of this church until her marriage to Dale and then she transferred to St. John Lutheran where they were married and became members there together. While at Emanual Lutheran, she was organist for 10 years and also played for many weddings in the Russell area (city and rural). She played piano for Sunday morning Sunday school while her daughters were in Sunday school at St. John. She was a member of the Russell County Saddle Club and rode in may parades with her father. Twyla was 1st runner up for queen in the 1961 Prairiesta. She worked as a secretary for RMS and Director of Elementary Education, Harold R. Elliott for 11 years. Upon her retirement, she took a leave of absence to begin her family. She returned to USD 407 as an employee in the RMS kitchen and worked for 36 more years before retiring after working a total of 47 years for USD 407. Twyla loved life and her family and lived each day to its fullest. Family meant everything to her; including her great grand-pups Giz and Willow.

She couldn’t wait to be a NANA! Twyla and Dale took pride in their family. Twyla always made sure Dale was included in as many family events as possible after he went to Wheatland Nursing Home. She even made sure he could attend part of the wedding of their only grandchild, Halle.

Surviving family include, daughters Tori Hall & husband Roy of Russell, Kansas and Tami Ehrlich of Manhattan, Kansas; granddaughter Halle Anderson & husband Colton of Russell, Kansas; great grand-pups Giz and Willow; niece Gwenna Green and nephew Lionel Green both of Russell, Kansas. She was proceeded in death by her beloved husband Dale, son Thomas D. Ehrlich, parents, in-laws as well as sister in-law and brother in-law and many aunts/uncles.

A celebration of Twyla’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, February 05, 2026, at the St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas. Burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M. on Wednesday, February 04, 2026 at the mortuary, with family greeting guest from 5 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. Wednesday evening. Memorials may be given to the St. John Lutheran Church and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.