BRASHER, Jeanine Estelle (Gossman) 1954-2005

BRASHER, GOSSMAN, ACKER, BRADSHAW, HAUPTLY

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 9/28/2014 at 23:37:43

[Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Friday, January 14, 2005]

Celebrating the beautiful life of Jeanine Estelle Brasher

Jeanine courageously ended her three-year battle with ovarian cancer peacefully at home and went to be with her Heavenly Father on Jan. 13, 2005.

The beautiful life of Jeanine Estelle Brasher began June 24, 1954, when a precious baby girl was born to Arland and Kathleen Gossman in Waterloo, Iowa. Jeanine grew up in Evansdale, Iowa, with her loving family. She was a mischievous spunky little girl who enjoyed laughing and playing with her four sisters and three brothers.

On Nov. 9, 1971, she gave birth to her daughter, Carrayn Niccole. Although Jeanine was a teenage mother, she was proud and determined to become the best mom a little girl could ever ask for! This marked the beginning of a cherished relationship with her loving daughter and friend.

She graduated from East Waterloo High School in 1972 and began working at the Brown Bottle Restaurant and Banco Mortgage Company. She became a born-again Christian and attended Sunnyside Temple, now Cedar Valley Community Church, where she was actively involved in the children's bus ministry and Winning Women.

In 1981 she became a CNA at Ravenwood Nursing Care Center; this led Jeanine to continue with her nursing education and become a Licensed Practical Nurse. Many lives were touched by Jeanine's special gift of caring for elderly patients, including her father, Arland, in the last years of his life. Jeanine gave selflessly of herself during her 20-year career at Ravenwood Nursing Care Center, always connecting with patients and their families. Life-long relationships were made with her co-workers.

In May of 1983 Jeanine met the love of her life and on June 13, 1987, she married Shannon Brasher in Waterloo where they made a home with her daughter, Carrayn Niccole. Together they enjoyed many traveling adventures, cross-country motorcycle trips, hiking in the mountains of Colorado, trips to Galveston Beach, boating on the Mississippi River, bicycling, growing flowers, gardening and bird watching. Jeanine and Shannon were soul mates here on Earth and will be reunited one day in Heaven.

In January of 1996 Jeanine pursued her RN degree along with her daughter, Carrayn. Later, Jeanine and Carrayn were employed together at Covenant Medical Center in the mother/baby unit. Jeanine cuddled and cared for sick, premature infants in the Intensive Care Nursery. She loved this time in her life, where every baby was "the cutest baby she had ever seen!" In the brief time she was employed at Covenant, even more special friendships were made. Thank you, Covenant, for all your support and tender care.

Her pride and joy were her two granddaughters, Teagan Niccole, born Oct. 17, 1998, and Calaney Jeanine, born Sept. 7, 2004. Her life was devoted to her family. Jeanine treasured holidays, gatherings and spending quality time with loved ones. Jeanine was a gentle Christian woman who inspired all of us. Her hugs and smiles would brighten even the worst day. Her home-cooked meals warmed your heart with love. She lived each day to the fullest and never wanted to miss out on anything. All who shared in her life will be forever touched and changed. Her kind, tender spirit will be with us always.

Jeanine is survived by her husband, Shannon; daughter, Carrayn Gossman (Tyrone Bell) of Waterloo; granddaughters, Teagan Niccole and Calaney Jeanine; four sisters, Theresa Diane Gossman of Chicago, Linda Acker of Mason City, Dureen (Gary) Bradshaw of Clear Lake and Denise Gossman Hauptly of Des Moines; three brothers, Dennis (Sherri) Gossman of Chicago, Mark (Amy) Gossman and Jeff (Lana) Gossman, both of Denver, Colo.; her life-long friend, Judy Carter of Evansdale; nine nephews, three nieces, three great-nephews, six great-nieces; and several aunts and uncles are also survived by Jeanine.

Jeanine was preceded in death by her parents, Arland and Kathleen Gossman; maternal and paternal grandparents; and a great-niece, Savanah Lynn Bradshaw.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Cedar Valley Community Church, with private family entombment at Garden of Memories Cemetery following the service. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service on West Ridgeway and also for an hour before services Saturday at the church.

Those wishing to extend memorials or expressions of sympathy may, in lieu of flowers, direct memorials to the Black Hawk County American Cancer Society Relay For Life 2005, 1201 Kimball Ave., Suite 130, Waterloo, IA 50701. In the memo portion of your check please note: Jeanine Brasher Memorial-RFL 2005.