John Brouwer

John William Brouwer, son of
John William and Aleida Vande Vis
Brouwer, was born June 2, 1927,
near Otley, Iowa.

He was the eighth of ten children
and he grew up in Jasper County
near Monroe, Iowa where he
attended rural grade schools.

At the age of 17 years John
contracted poliomyelitis. He
obtained his high school education
via correspondence with the
American School of Correspondence
in Chicago, Illinois, and a
degree in accounting from
Capital City Commercial College
at Des Moines,Iowa in 1948.

On June 2, 1948, he was united
in marriage with Bertha Ver Meer,
a daughter of Albert T. and
Jennie Van Heukelom Ver Meer,
at the First Christian
Reformed Church in Pella,
Iowa. Following their marriage
John and Bertha moved to Battle Creek,
Michigan where they lived for four
years and he used his accounting
degree in the credit department of
the Kellogg Corporation. They were
blessed with the birth of a son,
Jerry Arlan, on September 7, 1951.
They then returned to Iowa, where he
became employed with the Maytag Company
in Newton, Iowa. Their next child, a
daughter, Becky Luann, was born on
March 30, 1954. At the age of 37 years
John suffered a heart attack, and
this along with the affects of polio,
severely limited his physical activity;
however, as a family they enjoyed many
vacations. He continued in the employ
of the Maytag Company in the parts
department for many years until he
was forced to quit work due to his
disability. Following his retirement
John and Bertha enjoyed traveling
and spent the winters in Melbourne,
Florida for nearly 18 years. John
enjoyed reading and his main interest
was woodworking. John and Bertha
were a part of the Iowa Polio Survivors
Group, and in the early 1950's he
helped organize the Newton Christian
Grade School in Newton, Iowa.

On Friday morning, April 16, 2010, he
passed away in the Long Term Care Unit
at the Pella Regional Health Center in
Pella at the age of 82 years.

John will be remembered by his wife
of nearly 62 years, Bertha; his two
children and their spouses, seven
grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
They and their families are: Jerry and
Nancy (Meeter) Brouwer of Comstock Park,
Michigan,and Becky and Gary Vos of Newton.

Of his original family John leaves a
sister,Henrietta (Bastian) Vander Velden
of Newton, Iowa; two brothers and their
wives: Garrett and Lois Brouwer of Alma,
Arkansas, Bill and LaVonne Brouwer of Marion,
Iowa; his three sisters-inlaw: Charlotte
(Henry Brouwer) Le Rette of Knoxville, Iowa,
Velma(Arnold) Brouwer of Newton and Darlene
(Allan) Brouwer of Prairie City, Iowa;
along with the following sisters-in-law and
brothers-in-law: Ruth (Ver Meer) and
Rev. Dick Stravers of Holland, Michigan,
Ednabel (VerMeer) and Dale Vos of Pella
and Helene (Bud) Ver Meer of Pella. John
was preceded in death by his parents,
John and Aleida Brouwer; his parents-in-law,
A.T. and Jennie Ver Meer; four brothers:
a brother, John, who died in infancy,
Henry, Arnold and Allan Brouwer;
two sisters and their husbands: Gertrude and
Jeff Willemsen, Martha and Joe Willemsen;
and two brothers-in-law: Bastian Vander
Velden and Rev. Bud Ver Meer.

John was baptized as an infant at
the Otley Reformed Church in Otley,
Iowa and made profession of his faith
in the Christian Reformed Church at
Battle Creek, Michigan. At the time
of his death he was a member of the
Calvary Christian Reformed Church in
Pella, Iowa. In spite of John's health
problems, the family gives thanks
for God's grace and blessings.

Funeral services were held on Monday,
April 19, 2010 at the Calvary Christian
Reformed Church.

Memorials may be given to the Newton
Christian Grade School.
Arrangements were handled by the
Van Dyk -Duven Funeral Home.

(From the Pella Chronicle April 29, 2010)