Laura Brauer

Laura Brauer was a woman with great strength who also carried herself with grace and compassion. She had a tremendous zest for life, treasuring her family above all else. Laura was a tender woman who often set aside her own needs to tend to the needs of others and she exhibited elegant perseverance through the various trials in her life. Laura had a quick wit and her constant generosity was an example to all who knew and loved her. The end of the 1920s marked a difficult period for our nation as we were held tightly in the grip of the Great Depression. Earl and Elizabeth (Gray) Abson, of Walkerville, Michigan were able to focus on their own exciting time, as Elizabeth was due to give birth to their third baby at any time. They were indeed blessed on February 5, 1929 with the healthy birth of their daughter, Laura. Their family lived on a farm in Walkerville, located in western Michigan, which provided Laura and her seven siblings the opportunity to establish a strong work ethic as each child was required to help out with the work. As a young girl, Laura enjoyed the relaxing time she spent with her dad when they went fishing on Pedey Lake, located near Hesperia. Tragedy struck early in young Lauras life, however, when her father died when she was just 10 years old. A short time later, their family home burned down which caused Lauras mother to relocate her large family a bit to the south, where they settled in Muskegon, Michigan. This move proved to pave the way for a love story which would span almost 40 years. Once they were settled, Lauras mother took in laundry in order to provide for her family. Laura attended school through the seventh grade but as was so common for young people during this time period, Laura left school in order to help with her family. Lauras life took a fateful turn when a young man named Ray Brauer moved in with their family after troubles with his own family sparked his move. Laura and Ray became very close, eventually fell in love, and were later married on March 29, 1946 when Laura was just 17. The newlyweds began their new life together in a home on Warden St. in Norton Shores, Michigan. By the time she was 20, Laura had given birth to four children who were later joined by two more siblings. Ray supported his family predominantly as a truck driver, but occasionally as a taxi driver as well. Laura embraced her role as a mother, pouring herself into raising her children and when her children were old enough, Laura worked as a third shift waitress at the Ships Rail, a popular 24 hour restaurant located on Peck St. This restaurant would provide employment for Laura for a total of 25 years. Laura and Ray moved their family around a bit, settling in various houses but they provided their children with the stability of their constant and unconditional love. Together Laura and Ray provided their children with experiences that created memories which will be forever cherished. As a family they all loved piling in the car to take Sunday drives to visit family or friends a bit north, in Baldwin or Walkerville. Sometimes they went apple or cherry picking and always took an annual trip together to Sault Ste. Marie. In addition to time spent caring for her family and working, Laura found time to pursue some of the things that she enjoyed. She and Ray were members of the Muskegon Moose and the Lakeside Eagles; they loved attending various events that were held there, especially the dances. Laura enjoyed the music of Eddy Arnold, a popular country music singer who helped create the Nashville sound. She never missed watching the Lawrence Welk Show and tried to catch the parades on television every Thanksgiving and New Years morning. Laura loved doing jigsaw puzzles, crocheting, taking care of her plants outdoors, and caring for her cats and dogs throughout the years as well. She loved keeping up with the excitement in her community by always keeping her police scanner on in the background. Laura loved grabbing a chili dog at the G Restaurant and often was guilty of stashing candy bars all around her house in order to accommodate her sweet tooth! Family continued to be a priority for Laura and the holidays were always a great opportunity to get the whole family together. Many memories were made during the warm months with family cookouts in the backyard. When Ray was diagnosed with cancer, Laura tenderly cared for him for nine months until his death, in 1983. Laura drew strength from her faith and her family during these most difficult days. When grandchildren arrived on the scene, Laura delighted in them and tried to spend as much time with her children and grandchildren as she could, just enjoying being in their company. Laura also treasured her friendship with her lifelong friend, Rosemary Wiard. Together the two friends would often share a cup of tea and swap stories. Life got more difficult for Laura when a short time after her husband died, she suffered a heart attack and as a result, she quit working. As the years progressed, additional health challenges plagues Laura as well; more heart attacks and small strokes too. Laura was strong and even feisty at times, which helped her rally back from these setbacks. She successfully fought against ovarian cancer for over eight years as well. Laura more recently moved to Heartland Healthcare in Whitehall where she could receive the more specialized care that her health required. Laura Brauer lived a life dedicated to the people she treasured the most, her family. She often sacrificed herself to brighten the day of another and she could bring light and life to all those around her. Laura embraced each day as a gift to be cherished and made countless memories which will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. She will be dearly missed. Laura Brauer died on Tuesday, January 13, 2009. Lauras family includes her children: Leonard (Nancy) Brauer of Hesperia, Johnny (Ruth) Brauer Sr. of Twin Lake, Carol (Michael) Schiller of New Era, Rose (Jerry) Temple of Whitehall, Mary (Keith) Wilkinson of Fennville; 18 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; sister, Betty Bond; She was preceded in death by her son Francis in 2002; 2 brothers; 4 sisters. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2009, 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at Clock Life Story Funeral Homes - Muskegon location - Muskegon, MI with Rev. Jonathan Rager officiating. Interment at Abson Cemetery, Walkerville. Visit with Lauras family on Saturday, 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Please visit Lauras memory page at www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory, sign the online guest book, or make a memorial contribution to Hackley VNS Hospice.