original settlers in Quemado moving there in the spring of 1934 right after the Head Gates were constructed and the canal was operational throughout the valley. They purchased twenty acres on the West side of Hwy 277, approximately ¾ mile South of the Northern end of Quemado Valley. Mr. Kirchner then purchased an additional 40 acres on the East side of Hwy 277 along with Vega land for cattle grazing. The 40 acres was adjacent to Kirchner Lane which ran East alongside the 40 acres to Quemado’s “Blue Hole,” the valley’s most popular swimming hole during the 50’s thru 2000. The Kirchner’s, coming from ranching backgrounds, combined cattle raising with farming between 1935 – 1983, leasing additional acreage from the Lehman ranch (last property on the left prior to leaving the Valley for Del Rio) for hay production. Curtis attended Quemado Elementary from the 1st grade on between 1945 – 1951 while Molly attended from 1949 – 1955. Curtis played football at EPHS and was on the Eagles District Championship Football Team in 1955, legendary coach Fosters first year at Eagle Pass. He graduated from Eagle Pass High School in 1957 going on to earn his Master’s degree in College and following his beloved Coach Foster into the High School Football coaching profession. Molly graduated from Eagle Pass in 1961, went to college and then became an airline stewardess. Molly was a majorette and twirler for EPHS and was named “Miss 733rd (Radar Base) at the end of her senior year in 1961. Both Curtis and Molly had Maude Mae Kirchner (their aunt) as their 5th grade teacher while attending Quemado Valley Elementary.
Their aunt, Maude Mae Kirchner, was the first in the Kirchner family to graduate from high school. Miss Kirchner went on to attend the University of Texas from 1935-40, obtaining her Masters degree in Education. In June of 1940 Miss Kirchner accepted her first and only job as a teacher in Quemado Elementary in the Fall of 1940. Forty years later, Miss Kirchner retired from teaching in 1980 and in late 1980, EPISD honored her 40 years of service 1940- 1980 (without missing one day of work) by renaming the school, Maude Mae Kirchner Elementary in her honor. Miss Kirchner passed away after only five years of retirement in 1985. Many of her closest friends believed that her Quemado Valley students were the fuel that kept her going. When she retired, the fuel, the energy in her life, was no longer there which led to her early passing at the age of 69.
The Patriarch, OG Kirchner passed away in 1964
The Matriarch, Lilla Belle Kirchner passed away in 1974
Harold Kirchner (Curtis and Molly’s father and brother of Maude Mae ) died in a farming accident in 1983 helping a fellow rancher hang a barn door.
Mrs. Harold Kirchner sold the property along with the home in 1987, moving to Rough Canyon Marina at Lake Amistad, officially ending 53 years of Kirchner influence in QuemadoValley. She passed away on Feb 2, 2006.
All five, OG, Lilla, Maude Mae, Harold and Hazel Kirchner are buried in Quemado Valley Cemetary.
Curtis Kirchner is retired, lives in Bastrop, Texas and works part time as a golf course marshal at Pine Forest Golf Course in Bastrop.
Chad Kirchner works for Dell in Austin and is a Major in the Army Reserve. Staci McClaren Kirchner teaches in the Roundrock ISD near Austin while the girls (Morgan and Marissa) attend Pflugerville ISD.
Cody Kirchner is a Building superintendent for Ashton Woods Builders in Houston and lives in Cinco Ranch in Katy, Texas.
Carrie Lynch (Kirchner) is a stay at home mom and her husband Raymond Lynch is the Plant Manager for United Galvanizing in Houston. They reside on 17 acres near Brenham, Texas where all four kids (Grayson, Austin, Canyon and Mary) attend Burton ISD.