Nellie Brouwer

Nellie Brouwer, age 87, of Willmar, formerly of Raymond, peacefully joined the Lord with her family by her side on Monday afternoon, April 10, at Bethesda Grand Care Center in Willmar, Minnesota.

Services will be held at 2 PM, Thursday, April 20, at the Christian Reformed Church in Raymond, Minnesota.  Interment will be in the Fairview Cemetery in Raymond.  Visitation will be Wednesday, April 19, from 4-7 PM at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and at the church one hour prior to the service on Thursday.  (www.petersonbrothers.com)

Nellie Brouwer was born on June 17, 1929 in Willmar, Minnesota, the daughter of Antje (Slim) and Arjen Borger.  She grew up in the Raymond area and graduated from Raymond High School.  She continued her education and graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Nellie taught school in Hollendale, Motley and Prinsburg for a few years.  On August 22, 1956 she was married to her best friend, Edward U. Brouwer,  in Raymond and they made their home in that area.  Nellie was a stay at home mother after they started their family and later she started an income tax and accounting business in her home.  She continued doing accounting for over 40 years, even after she entered Bethesda Homes she still did some income taxes for several people.  Nellie was an active charter member of the Raymond Christian Reformed Church, teaching Sunday School, being in charge of the church bulletin for many years, leader of women's Bible study and a member of the ladies aid.  While at Bethesda, Nellie was very active in book club and other activities available at the home.

She was an educator at heart, kind, soft spoken and always had time for others. She will be dearly missed by her loved ones, who celebrate the fact that she is at peace with the Lord.

Nellie is survived by her four children; Ronald (and Sherri) Brouwer of St. Cloud, Barbara (and Mark) LaBarre of Willmar, Judy (and Randy) Pierskalla of St. Cloud and Sharon (and Richard) Skaja of St. Cloud.  Also surviving are 16 grandchildren, four great grandchildren and daughter-in-law: Rhonda Brouwer of St. Cloud, along with other relatives and friends.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Edward in 1990, son James in 2015 and grandson Alexander Brouwer in 2011.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Bethesda Grand Care Center for their wonderful care of Nellie

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