Pearl (Rietema) Brower

Pearl Brower, 89, of Kanawha, Iowa passed away Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at the Kanawha Community Home.

Funeral services for Pearl Brower will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, July 24, 2010 at Wright Christian Reformed Church, south of Kanawha, with Pastor Daniel Lindley and Pastor Stephen Brower officiating.  Burial will be at the Wright Christian Reformed Church Cemetery.

Visitation for Pearl Brower will be from 5-7 PM on Friday July 23, 2010 at Ewing Funeral Home, 118 East 2nd Street, in Kanawha and continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Pearl, the daughter of Arthur and Dena (Roskamp) Rietema, was born August 15, 1920 on the family farm near Kanawha.  She attended country schools through 8th grade and helped on the family farm.  Later in life Pearl attended classes to get her GED while working in Belmond, something she was very proud to accomplish.

On August 17, 1939 Pearl was united in marriage to Wiert Brower at the home of her parents.  The couple farmed southeast of Kanawha and raised their family.  Pearl moved into Kanawha in 1998, where she remained active and independent until she became ill in October of 2009.  Following the illness, she recovered in the Kanawha Community Home, and following a brief return to her own home, she returned to the Care Center in late March 2010, where she lived until her death.   

 Pearl was a life-long, professing member of the Wright Christian Reformed Church.  She taught Sunday school and was a member of the Ladies Aide.  Her faith in God and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ always gave her strength in times of deep sorrow and difficulties.  She deeply loved her family, children,  grandchildren and great-grandchildren, sisters, brothers, neices, nephews, and numerous other extended family members,  along with many close friends, young and old alike, whom she "adopted" as her own.  She prayed faithfully for all of us.  

Pearl worked hard in many capacities throughout her life, and was eager to help in any situation. with energy and spunk that was hard to equal.  She enjoyed gardening, baking, canning, fishing and camping, and traveling around the US with Wiert in their camper.  Special travel highlights included her trip to Israel with Wiert, and travel to Japan and Okinawa, and Hawaii, New York, Florida, California and to Bible Camps in Wisconsin and California.   She especially enjoyed being with all of her family, quilting with friends, her church and Christian School involvement,  and of course, making those wonderful donuts.  She cheerfully and faithfully loved serving others, and she was a source of joy and inspiration to all who knew her.  

Pearl is survived by her children:  Frances Steinert of Edina, Minnesota; Jon (Marilyn) Brower currently serving in Zambia, Africa; Linda Tracy (Daniel) Kreiss of Alameda, California and five grandchildren: Daniel (Charity) Brower, David (Marcia) Brower, Cameron (Bobbi) Tracy, Stephen (Heather) Brower, and Deann (Glenn) Zinter; nine great-grandchildren; sisters: Audrey (Jay) Veldhouse of Pella and Donna (Tony) VanZanten of Chicago, Illinois; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.  We will miss her immeasurably, but we are so grateful that she has entered into the full presence of Almighty God. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Wiert on October 17, 1985; son Delbert on February 20, 1970; sister Thelma Christians; and brothers John and Kermit Rietema.