Marilyn 'Jill' Brouwer

Marilyn “Jill” Brouwer, 88, of Le Mars, IA, and formerly of Hinton, IA, Sioux City, IA, and Lake Suzy FL, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2020 at Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars. She had been living at Good Samaritan Society-Le Mars, being cared for by a loving, dedicated staff.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.   Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Marilyn Esther Galbrecht was born on October 26, 1931, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Fred and Mildred (Krueger) Galbrecht. She was baptized at the German Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.

She attended schools in Milwaukee, graduating from South Division High School in 1949 (where she obtained the nickname “Jill”). She joined the U.S. Air Force in 1950, where she met “the love of her life”, Jasper “Jay” Brouwer. They were married on October 26, 1951 in Bryan, Texas. After an honorable discharge in 1951, she lived with her parents while Jay was stationed overseas during the Korean War. During this time, their only child, a daughter, was born.

Upon Jay’s honorable discharge in 1954, they moved to Rock Rapids, Iowa to farm. Jill helped on the farm and also worked as a bookkeeper until they moved to an acreage near Sioux City, Iowa in 1960. There, she did bookkeeping for Kalin’s Furs and Fashions and General Business Equipment. She later obtained her real estate license and started her own company, Brouwer Realty in 1970. Jill and Jay moved often in the Sioux City area, building many homes, until they “retired” to Lake Suzy, Florida in 1994. Jill opened her “Florida Branch” of Brouwer Realty, and continued selling real estate.

Jill was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the American Legion. She was passionate about her faith, her family, and her country. She loved dancing with Jay, showing houses, golfing, wearing hats and high heels, and most of all, time with her family.

Grateful to have shared her life are her daughter, Jan Heimgartner and her husband Dennis of Hinton, IA; grandchildren, Jeffrey (Jasmine) Heimgartner of Lincoln, NE, and Melissa (Chad Guzinski) Heimgartner of Ashland, NE; two great grandsons, Jayden and Jonah Heimgartner of Lincoln, NE; sister-in-law, Dorothy Gransow Sidles of Milford IA; brother-in-law, Pete Hoff of Hills, MN; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jay on February 3, 2014; brother and sister-in-law, Fred and Faith Galbrecht; sister-in-law, Pearl Hoff; brother-in-law, Lawrence Gransow; brothers and sisters in-law, John and Henrietta Top, John and Jennie deKoning, and John and Nettie Brouwer.