Connie Brouwer
Aug 26th 1921 - Oct 30th 2009
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Gail Muller
November 16th 2009
gailmuller@yahoo.com
I'm so sorry I missed visiting with you all recently, I just heard about Connie's passing! She and Gene were friends with my parents, Wally and Adele Van Slooten, when they were younger and I mostly remember the Dolly Madison goodies that were always handed out in your house! It's so nice to know that all these old friends are together in heaven now, laughing about the old days.
November 10th 2009
I wish I could have been there ,so sorry about Connie . thank you karen for helping us when Mom died ,by remembering things . So many good memories an vists when I was younger with your mom and dad . Your in my prayers Kay faass Mabry .
Donna Berg Wood
November 3rd 2009
donnawood1@charter.net
Just a note to say you are in my thoughts as I remember the many years as next door neighbors. Karen and I spent many hours together in the Brouwer home where Mrs. Brouwer put up with our messes and noise. Will be praying for the family as you begin this new chapter in your lives without your Mother.
Erin
November 3rd 2009
emwalters29@yahoo.com
I remember when all of us grand kids would play our invisible instruments while walking around her dinner table as she played her favorite record. As the music stopped we would walk around the opposite way and I would always pick the trombone.
Usually for Easter and Christmans, we would go to the VFW Hall and either had to sit on the Easter Bunny's lap or Santa's Lap. We would have to wait in longest line and it was so smokey. We would travel through the basement according to our age groups to recieve our prizes. They always varried... some were cool and some were not so cool.
Sometimes (alot of the times) I would want to play Domino's with Grandpa when he was sick. Grandma would tell me not to bother him and I never listened. She would walk down the basement stairs and grab the "green" bucket chair. This was a form of time out. I was never allowed to look at the nature out doors and had to face the wall. love you Gram
I will miss her dearly, especially her humor. She was so easy to love and care for because of this. She loved to tell us stories about her mother, grandpa, and how things were back in the day. She also would tell us about the many trips and places they traveled... Gulf Shores, California, Florida, and the most famous and recent, Oklahoma. Of corse we would get crazy post cards in the mail. We would have to guess at most of the words. Her cursive was very unique. I'll give her that!!!
In closing my Grandma and I had a wonderful relationship We were always being silly and joking around. It is a relationship that will honestly be missed. She is so GREAT!! I feel that when walking into a room where she is not, the room will be bare. It will be missing a warm, gentle smile that would always light up the room. It still will to me!! We all were and still are very fortunite to have had all the memories and family to share the love with. You'll forever be in my heart. As for yours as well!!!!!!!!!
Jill (Reeves) Kersjes
November 3rd 2009
danielk@netpenny.net
As a little girl I spent a lot of time at Grandma and Grandpa Brouwer’s house on Coldbrook Street. Grandma and I would go on walks around the block. Grandma Connie was very social and had many neighbors she liked to visit.
Grandma enjoyed working on her plants in the back yard. I liked playing on the monkey bars and swing. We would pick rhubarb and eat it with sugar. She would even make rhubarb pie it was good. Grandma had a plant called a “Silver Dollar”, I still have some of it.
Grandma had a grumpy and fat cat named Charlie. After the cat died, she had a ceramic cat that we called Charlie.
Grandma and Grandpa never had a washer or dryer at their house. The laundry mat was not very far sometimes we would even walk. I liked helping grandma with the laundry.
We used to walk to East Leonard Church to help in the Library, serve coffee, or go to Sunday service.
Grandma and I used to go Down Town on the city bus. We would go to Herplescheimers to shop and have a fancy lunch. We liked to walk and look at the other shops. We also shopped at Steketees.
Every Christmas Grandma would buy us pajamas. She also knitted us slippers and even repaired them with rubber material after we wore a hole through them.
One time Grandma and Grandpa took Toni and I to a wedding with them. We road in the convertible grandma put scarves on our heads to keep our hair from getting messy in the wind.
We enjoyed listening to grandma play the piano. She never minded our attempts at playing it.
Grandma liked playing games. One of our favorite games we played was Racko. She always had a puzzle on a table waiting to be put together.
We liked playing with grandma’s toys and games.
I thought grandma’s basement was spooky and the house creaked especially when going up the stairs, but I still liked sleeping over and spending time with grandma and grandpa.
On Sundays after church we would go to grandmas for snacks and coffee. Grandma always had Colby cheese cut up and crackers –my favorite.
We would also eat some special “Arnies” baked good. We loved our baked goods.
Grandma used to work for Arnies stocking the shelves in the grocery store sometimes I go with her.
Grandma knitted us blankets. She also did one for my wedding and I still use it.
Every year we would go to grandma and grandpas for Christmas. They always had a little tree on a table in front of the window. We called it a “Charlie Brown” tree. I liked helping grandma set the table nice and listen to the record albums.
I would go with grandma and grandpa to Aunt Karen’s house to watch Toni and Dean.
As I got older I used to house sit for grandma and grandpa when they went on trips.
After grandpa died grandma moved to an apartment on Lamberton Lake. She liked to sit and look at the water and go on walks near the Lake or in the woods. Grandma liked it when you stopped for a visit. She always wanted to feed you.
Grandma eventually moved to the Holland Home. She said, “Isn’t this a lovely place”.
My children, Andrew, Rachel and Joshua were able to experience some of the same times with grandma that I did.
Grandma Connie will be missed, but we will always have our memories.
Gail Muller
November 16th 2009
gailmuller@yahoo.com
I'm so sorry I missed visiting with you all recently, I just heard about Connie's passing! She and Gene were friends with my parents, Wally and Adele Van Slooten, when they were younger and I mostly remember the Dolly Madison goodies that were always handed out in your house! It's so nice to know that all these old friends are together in heaven now, laughing about the old days.
November 10th 2009
I wish I could have been there ,so sorry about Connie . thank you karen for helping us when Mom died ,by remembering things . So many good memories an vists when I was younger with your mom and dad . Your in my prayers Kay faass Mabry .
Donna Berg Wood
November 3rd 2009
donnawood1@charter.net
Just a note to say you are in my thoughts as I remember the many years as next door neighbors. Karen and I spent many hours together in the Brouwer home where Mrs. Brouwer put up with our messes and noise. Will be praying for the family as you begin this new chapter in your lives without your Mother.
Erin
November 3rd 2009
emwalters29@yahoo.com
I remember when all of us grand kids would play our invisible instruments while walking around her dinner table as she played her favorite record. As the music stopped we would walk around the opposite way and I would always pick the trombone.
Usually for Easter and Christmans, we would go to the VFW Hall and either had to sit on the Easter Bunny's lap or Santa's Lap. We would have to wait in longest line and it was so smokey. We would travel through the basement according to our age groups to recieve our prizes. They always varried... some were cool and some were not so cool.
Sometimes (alot of the times) I would want to play Domino's with Grandpa when he was sick. Grandma would tell me not to bother him and I never listened. She would walk down the basement stairs and grab the "green" bucket chair. This was a form of time out. I was never allowed to look at the nature out doors and had to face the wall. love you Gram
I will miss her dearly, especially her humor. She was so easy to love and care for because of this. She loved to tell us stories about her mother, grandpa, and how things were back in the day. She also would tell us about the many trips and places they traveled... Gulf Shores, California, Florida, and the most famous and recent, Oklahoma. Of corse we would get crazy post cards in the mail. We would have to guess at most of the words. Her cursive was very unique. I'll give her that!!!
In closing my Grandma and I had a wonderful relationship We were always being silly and joking around. It is a relationship that will honestly be missed. She is so GREAT!! I feel that when walking into a room where she is not, the room will be bare. It will be missing a warm, gentle smile that would always light up the room. It still will to me!! We all were and still are very fortunite to have had all the memories and family to share the love with. You'll forever be in my heart. As for yours as well!!!!!!!!!
Jill (Reeves) Kersjes
November 3rd 2009
danielk@netpenny.net
As a little girl I spent a lot of time at Grandma and Grandpa Brouwer’s house on Coldbrook Street. Grandma and I would go on walks around the block. Grandma Connie was very social and had many neighbors she liked to visit.
Grandma enjoyed working on her plants in the back yard. I liked playing on the monkey bars and swing. We would pick rhubarb and eat it with sugar. She would even make rhubarb pie it was good. Grandma had a plant called a “Silver Dollar”, I still have some of it.
Grandma had a grumpy and fat cat named Charlie. After the cat died, she had a ceramic cat that we called Charlie.
Grandma and Grandpa never had a washer or dryer at their house. The laundry mat was not very far sometimes we would even walk. I liked helping grandma with the laundry.
We used to walk to East Leonard Church to help in the Library, serve coffee, or go to Sunday service.
Grandma and I used to go Down Town on the city bus. We would go to Herplescheimers to shop and have a fancy lunch. We liked to walk and look at the other shops. We also shopped at Steketees.
Every Christmas Grandma would buy us pajamas. She also knitted us slippers and even repaired them with rubber material after we wore a hole through them.
One time Grandma and Grandpa took Toni and I to a wedding with them. We road in the convertible grandma put scarves on our heads to keep our hair from getting messy in the wind.
We enjoyed listening to grandma play the piano. She never minded our attempts at playing it.
Grandma liked playing games. One of our favorite games we played was Racko. She always had a puzzle on a table waiting to be put together.
We liked playing with grandma’s toys and games.
I thought grandma’s basement was spooky and the house creaked especially when going up the stairs, but I still liked sleeping over and spending time with grandma and grandpa.
On Sundays after church we would go to grandmas for snacks and coffee. Grandma always had Colby cheese cut up and crackers –my favorite.
We would also eat some special “Arnies” baked good. We loved our baked goods.
Grandma used to work for Arnies stocking the shelves in the grocery store sometimes I go with her.
Grandma knitted us blankets. She also did one for my wedding and I still use it.
Every year we would go to grandma and grandpas for Christmas. They always had a little tree on a table in front of the window. We called it a “Charlie Brown” tree. I liked helping grandma set the table nice and listen to the record albums.
I would go with grandma and grandpa to Aunt Karen’s house to watch Toni and Dean.
As I got older I used to house sit for grandma and grandpa when they went on trips.
After grandpa died grandma moved to an apartment on Lamberton Lake. She liked to sit and look at the water and go on walks near the Lake or in the woods. Grandma liked it when you stopped for a visit. She always wanted to feed you.
Grandma eventually moved to the Holland Home. She said, “Isn’t this a lovely place”.
My children, Andrew, Rachel and Joshua were able to experience some of the same times with grandma that I did.
Grandma Connie will be missed, but we will always have our memories.
