Z. Marie Brewer

(Zelma) Marie O’Malley Brewer died in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on October 30, 2022, at age 93. She was a resident of Broomfield, Colorado.

Marie was born October 22, 1929 in Galesburg, Illinois, to Austin and Zelma O’Malley. She had 11 siblings: Margaret (Peggy), Austin (Bud), Catherine (Kay), John, William (Bill), James, Phil, Nancy, Helen, Michael and David.

Of them, she is survived by one sister, Nancy Larson of Galesburg.

She married George Brewer (d. 2014) in Denver, Colorado on February 9, 1952. Their 3 daughters, 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren survive them. Kathleen Brewer of Boulder, CO (John Meiners; Joan, Anna). Shirley Brooke of Golden, CO (Norm Brooke; Doug and Emily Brooke, Brady, Avery, Nora; Jeff Brooke, Bodhi), and Georgia Brewer-Smith of Tampa, FL (Lou Smith; Gale and Jacque Williams, Justin Williams; Sienna Smith).

In childhood Marie loved running around with the neighborhood children, some of whom she kept in touch with all her life. An excellent student, she graduated from Corpus Christi High School in Galesburg in 1947. After high school she moved to Denver, Colorado to work in airline reservations. She was shy but also very funny, and after she met George at a dance it wasn’t long before they began an active life together. The Colorado outdoors was the foundation of their family life. She braved stream crossings and mountain storms at a time when most women stayed on the pavement. She drove a 1961 Willy’s Jeep over mountain passes. She hunted and fished. She learned to ski in her 40’s. She knew Colorado well, eventually living also in Pagosa Springs, Estes Park, Loveland, Longmont, and finally Broomfield.

As a homemaker, she turned her considerable intelligence and creativity to the tasks at hand. She cooked from scratch, canned, and always had something fresh-baked in the house. She learned to sew and made her daughters’ wedding gowns and bridesmaid’s dresses. She made treasured hand-pieced quilts for all of her family. After her children left home she enjoyed office work. In retirement she read voraciously.

She was a loyal wife and a devoted mother. She remained true to her Catholic faith throughout her life and it sustained her through all her difficulties. She was greatly loved and will be much missed.

A memorial Mass for Marie will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Galesburg. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Galesburg. There will be a memorial for her in Colorado in the spring. Donations in memory of Marie made be made to St. Vincent De Paul Society. Arrangements have been entrusted to Watson Thomas Funeral Home and Crematory, Galesburg.