Averil Gene Brown, age 91 of Shawano, passed on to glory on Monday, December 26, 2016.
She was born in Janesville, Wisconsin on September 29, 1925, to the late Frank and Mamie (Christiansen) Craig.
At an early age, she and her mother, moved to Pulcifer.
Her mother then married Jim Brummel who was a wonderful step-father and grandfather to her children.
While living in Pulcifer, Gene learned to play the organ.
Her beautiful organ now resides at the Gillett Historical Society.
Gene was a member, baptized and confirmed at Bethel Lutheran Church in the Town of Green Valley, where she was active in the choir, Luther League, L.D.R. (Lutheran Daughter of the Reformation), taught Sunday school and summer school.
After graduating from the Gillett Hugh School, she worked as a dental assistant for Dr. Driscoll.
She later moved to Shawano and was an x-ray technician, receptionist and helped Dr. Glen Inman with the patients.
Gene met Willard "Brownie" while he was home on furlough from the army.
They were married on August 5, 1950, at Bethel, where Gene wore a pink wedding gown in a pink candlelight ceremony.
They were married for 58 years.
They were blessed with four beautiful children.
They were the love of Gene's life.
Gene liked dogs and always had one, the first while she was a baby, an Airedale, who acted like her "sitter", to her last one, a sharp, over-protective miniature Pinscher.
Gene was a member of St. James Lutheran Church since 1949, and was the co-founder of the St. James Prayer Circle as well as a member of the Sierra Club.
She was the co-founder of the A to Z Homemaker Club and co-founder of a quilting circle, a group of friends who made over 4,000 quilts and blankets for family, missions and charities.
In the week before her death she said,
"I think I'll make one more quilt."
Gene is survived by her children, Nancy (John) Brown-Koeller, Allan Brown, and Teresa Brown Siolka all of Shawano; grandchildren, Farrah and Shaun Forsyth, Lindsay and Cody Siolka; three cousins, Walter (Marilyn) Christiansen, Margaret Hilbert, Michael (Roberta) Christiansen; son-in-law, Carey Forsyth.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Mamie and Jim Brummel; her daughter, Barbara Forsyth and her husband, "Brownie".
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 31, 2016 at St. James Lutheran Church Chapel in Shawano with the Rev. Timm Griffin officiating.
Visitation will be held on Saturday at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service.
Inurnment will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery in the spring.
Memorials may be given to the Shawano City – County Library or the Sierra Club – Fox Valley Chapter.
This obituary was written by Mom herself.
We, her daughters, want to especially thank our brother, Allan, for the loving care and assistance he gave our mother in her final years.
