BROM, Margery Anne (Pease) 1926-2016

BROM, PEASE, BARNARD

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 3/23/2017 at 16:04:05

Funeral Services:
11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 29, 2016 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 810 Kimball Ave., Waterloo

Cemetery:
committal at a later date in the Hovey Family Cemetery, Badger, Iowa

Memorials:
Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony, Girl Scouts of America, American Red Cross, or her church.

Biography--

Margery Anne Brom, 90, of Waterloo, Iowa, died at the Western Home Communities--South Cottage, Cedar Falls, Tuesday, October 25, 2016, of complications of a stroke.

Margery was born July 28, 1926, in Atkinson, Nebraska, the daughter of C.I. and Erdine Barnard Pease. She married Richard Hovey Brom at St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines in 1952.

She graduated from Roosevelt High School, Des Moines in 1944 and received her Bachelor's Degree in 1952 from Iowa State University and was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority. Margery worked as a math/P.E. teacher in the Carroll School District 1950-52 and Waterloo at McKinstry Jr. High 1952-54 and as the Waterloo Building Manager for 10 years. She served the U.S. as an engineering assistant at Wright Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, during World War II (1944-46).

At the age of 63, Marge fulfilled a lifelong ambition—to earn her pilot’s license. “Age is irrelevant. You keep going—and growing—as long as you can.”

That pretty much sums up Marge’s philosophy on life. Even when a debilitating stroke in 2005 threatened to take her away, Marge kept going. A major brain bleed put her in a deep coma for three months, precipitating a stroke. When she awoke, difficult physical therapy to relearn daily living skills lay ahead. While her recovery was deemed miraculous, knowing Marge, it’s just what you do—keep going.

Her volunteer vita is impressive. Marge was the first female chair of the Hawkeye Chapter of the American Red Cross, She gave 30+ years of service to the board and was named volunteer of the year by the Iowa Division of the American Red Cross. Marge served three years on the National Red Cross Board’s nominating committee.

Marge volunteered as a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor for 71 continuous years and was a founding member and twice-president of the Four Seasons Neighborhood swimming pool. She’s literally taught thousands of children and adults how to swim, including teaching teachers that trained the lifeguards for our area pools. Her efforts earned her the recognition as the Red Cross’ water safety volunteer of the year.

Marge’s leadership can be found in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra as a founding member of the Symphony’s Women’s Guild. She served 20+ years on the board, as a president and as a member of the committee that hired Joseph Giunta, which changed the symphony from a minor to a major community asset.

When it came time to raise funds for the new performing arts center, Marge rolled up her sleeves and helped lead an effort that raised more than $11 million. She then served as a volunteer usher for five years until her stroke.

Marge had been a Girl Scout for more than 70 years, leading a troop for more than 10 years, serving as a board member for more than 20 years and serving as president of the Council. Marge put her fundraising talents to work raising $1.68 million for Camp Tahigwa improvements.

Her fundraising efforts were recognized by the Eastern Iowa Chapter of Fund Raising Executives (now the Association of Fundraising Professionals) when she was named the 1998 Outstanding Fundraiser of the Year. She was a Courier’s Eight over 80 recipient having received this award in 2013.

Marge served on the Mini Crippen board and had been a member since the 60s of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Junior League. Marge was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church since 1952. She taught Sunday School for more than 30 years, sang in the choir for 40 years and helped lead the church as a former member and president of the church council. She was also a member of Cedar Falls PEO Chapter LK.

Survivors include: husband R. Hovey Brom of Waterloo; two sons: Dirk (Kim Russel) Brom of Lincoln, NE and Timm (Ann) Brom of Prairie du Chien, WI; daughter Kristi (Todd) Moore of Perkasie, PA; eleven grandchildren: Jarrod Brom, Lauren Brom, Stacie Moore, Renae Challander, Natalie Shaeffer, David Moore, Sarah Lindsay, Tim Brom, Dan Brom, Elizabeth Brom and Luke Brom; nine great grandchildren: Finnian, Primrose, Ezra, Isabel, Claire, Vivian, Sadie, Lillian and Connor; sister Shirley (John) McCammond of Kearney, NE; brother Robert (Bessie) Pease of Pittsburg, PA; and brother-in-law David Larson of Chagrin Falls, OH.

Marge was preceded in death by her sister Phyllis Larson.

Source: Locke Funeral Home