John Gerald Brummel - Obituary

John Brummel was born in Iowa, and grew up on a family farm in Monroe. His parents, Walter and Alida, had three sons. John was the oldest, followed by Allen and Fred. The family ran a self-sufficient farm: grew corn, had hogs, milk cows, and Alida sold eggs to earn extra money for the family. This was hard work for a young boy like John, and he always talked about enjoying time together on the porch at sunset. John went to a country school, and although a bit rebellious, he really enjoyed mathematics, which served him well later in life. When he was a teenager, John would drive his brothers into town where they would create all kinds of mischief. He would disconnect the speedometer on the family's Model T, so Dad wouldn't know that he "borrowed the car".

John went to Central College, in Pella, Iowa and earned his degree in chemistry. One fine day, while strolling around the town square, John met and pursued Agnes Vos. They were married in 1944, and remained married for 27 years.

John enlisted in the Army during World War II, served in the 71st Infantry Division and was in the service for 42 months. He was a medic in the European Theatre and was one of the men who freed over 15,000 survivors in Gunskirchen Lager, a German concentration camp near Lambach, Austria.

When he returned home, John moved to Denver at the suggestion of his doctors to relieve his allergies. John and Agnes had three children, Mark, Jan, and Rosann. John loved camping with family and friends, taking his family skiing, and in the summer would take family vacations around the western US.

John's first job was in Colorado in Golden as a laboratory chemist at the Colorado School of Mines. He soon determined that solitary work was not for him, he needed to move around and work with people. He had a number of jobs in sales, accounting and management. After his family was grown, the itch to farm again lead him to buy a wheat farm near Strasburg, Colorado. His son, Mark and daughter, Jan joined him in Strasburg where they continue to live today.

When he retired, John moved to Sidney Nebraska where he had a sheep ranch, owned a laundry mat and rental properties. While in Sidney, Nebraska, John met and married Patty Jean Himes. He lived there until she died in 2008. In 2009, John moved to Clermont Park in Denver to be closer to his children, grandchildren, and friends.

John always loved farming and in nearly a century lived through the tremendous changes in farm life. He started with a horse and plow and lived to see his son, daughter and his grandchildren farm the high tech way.

John is survived by his three children, Mark Brummel (Joanne), Strasburg CO, Jan Crouch (Dan), Strasburg, CO, Rosann Woods (David), Tucson, AZ. He is also survived by four grandchildren, Clayton Crouch, Brooke Brummel Rau (Jeff), who live in Denver, CO and Chase Crouch, Luke Brummel (Joni), who live in Strasburg, CO. He also has four great-grandchildren, Brian, Natalie, Katarina, Ethan, with one more on the way.

He will be sorely missed by his family and friends. May God rest his soul.