February 3, 1923 – July 3, 2022

Martha Brouwer, 99, of Leota, Minn., passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 3, 2022, at Parkview Manor Nursing Home in Ellsworth, Minn.  

Visitation was on Thursday, July 7, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. at Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota with a service at 10:30 a.m. and burial followed at Leota City Cemetery.

Music was provided by organist Glenda Van Hill, special music, Ninety & Nine, by Brenda Van’t Hof and Kent Van’t Hof, O Gentle Sheperd, recorded by Jim Reeves; and congregational hymns, Amazing Grace, The Love Of God Is Greater Far, and God Be With You. 

Pallbearers were Faron Brouwer, Kyle Brouwer, Kristi Denney, Vincent Brouwer, Kelly Brouwer, and Sheila Brouwer.

Martha Brouwer was born February 3, 1923, to Dick and Gertie Kroon in Lismore, Minn. She was baptized in 1923 at the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota, and attended Leota Christian School through ninth grade. She was a proud, lifelong member of the Ebenezer Church, though she did live in several different places throughout her life and marriage, including Artesia, Calif., and Montevideo, Minn. 

On March 28, 1944, Martha married the love of her life, Richard Brouwer, at her parent’s home in rural Leota. Martha’s joy was her family; she dedicated herself to homemaking and all that it entailed as she cared for Richard and raised their two sons, Conrad and Randall. She also enjoyed teaching Sunday School classes for a number of her early years.  In her later years, she found a passion for tutoring English as a second language to immigrants coming from various countries to the Worthington area. 

Early in the morning of July 3, 2022, Martha went to be with her Lord and Savior while residing at Parkview Manor Nursing Home in Ellsworth at the age of 99 years and 5 months.

Faith and family were vitally important to Martha. She was a devoted wife and mother and found deep joy in her role as a homemaker. Cleanliness was an important value she passed on to her family and friends. She also appreciated the relationships she built while tutoring immigrants in the ESL classes. Martha was very grateful for the opportunity to serve others in many different roles. She also enjoyed tending her flower gardens, vegetable garden, and her lawn, and taking walks through the countryside with family and friends while watching for birds. 

Martha is survived by her sons, Conrad (Linda) Brouwer of Leota and Randall (Sandi) Brouwer of Bronson, Iowa; grandchildren, Faron (Kelli) Brouwer, Vincent (April) Brouwer, Sheila Brouwer, Kyle Brouwer, Kristi (Justin) Denney, and Kelly (Kim) Brouwer; 15 great-grandchildren; great-great-grandchildren; and siblings, Adrianna Hamm Swanson of Burlington, Wash., Dick (Hazel) Kroon of Wayland, Mich., Georgia Kroon of Bozeman, Mont., and Vera Brouwer of Sheldon, Iowa.  

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; parents, Dick and Gertie Kroon; siblings, Henrietta Hamm, Anna Lubben Prins, James Kroon, John Kroon, and Jake Kroon; and a great-grandson, Jordan DeGroot.