William Jacob Brekke 1923 - 2017

BREKKE, MILLER

Posted By: Linda H Meyers (email)
Date: 4/6/2017 at 12:26:05

William Jacob Brekke, 93, of Chester, Iowa, passed away at Evans Memorial Home in Cresco, Iowa, surrounded by his loving family on January 20, 2017.  William was born on May 17, 1923, to Jacob and Celina Brekke of rural McCallsburg, Iowa.  

William spent his early years riding ponies with his cousin and enjoying the freedom of farm country living.  One of William's favorite memories was a trip to New York City to visit his mother's family and her childhood home in 1928.   This trip in a Model T Ford Touring car with his parents and sisters was a grand adventure in those early days of cross-country automobile travel.    

William graduated from high school in Stanhope, Iowa, in 1941 and began farming with his dad.  William enlisted in the US Army Transport Command at the age of 21 and served his country during World War II in the Southwest Pacific where he was commissioned on the high seas.  

When he returned to Iowa in 1946, William farmed with his brother Meyer until he went to work at Montgomery Ward in Webster City, Iowa. He met the love of his life, Lorraine Miller, at the Laramar Ballroom in Fort Dodge, Iowa.  This was the beginning of their 70-year love story.  Lorraine and William were married in Pocahontas, Iowa, on October 6, 1948. To this union eight children were born, and the family eventually settled on a farm near Chester, Iowa, in 1961. William and Lorraine spent many happy winters in Apache Junction, Arizona, after retiring from over 50 years of farming.    

William leaves a legacy of witty humor, conversation, thoughtful and purposeful living, the art of being a gentleman, and love of family.  

William is preceded in death by his wife Lorraine, his son Thomas William, his parents, his siblings Meyer, Orville, Jeanette, Adele, and Margaret.  William will be lovingly remembered by his brother Everett (Marge) Brekke, his children Ann (Vincent) Steffen, Frank (Ruthann) Brekke, Michelle (Ray) Beets, Kathryn (Dean) Stern, Barbara (Brian) Hackman, Patricia (Michael) Magnuson, Kristine (Jack) Larson, and daughter-in-law Sherri (Thomas) Brekke, twenty grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren.    

In honor of William listen to a classic Marty Robbins ballad, read a non-fiction book, memorize a poem, and pull on an exceptional pair of cowboy boots.