Ellen Ruth Bremer

Ellen Ruth Bremer

1928-2021

Ellen Ruth Bremer of Metropolis, Illinois, passed peacefully away on November 23, 2021, shortly before her 93rd birthday.  She was surrounded by loved ones.

Ellen was born in 1928 to Chelsea Sigle Williams and Dorothy Clemence (Clark) Williams in Enfield, IL, White County.  Ellen graduated from Metropolis High School in 1946 after which she pursued training in music (cello and piano) at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.  Music was always a part of Ellen Ruth’s life.  Growing up she played in the Williams Family Goose Hill Band and later in the SIU and the Williams Family Orchestras.  She taught all of her children piano at young ages and continued teaching piano skills to others of the community until late in life. 

Ellen, participant, met Virgil Bremer, chaperone, at an Illinois State Fair annual 4-H competition in Springfield, IL.   After a brief courtship they married on July 17th, 1949.  Ellen and Virgil went on to have four children, nine grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren … to-date.  Together their legacy includes the Bremer Brothers Farm, founded in Massac County with Virgil’s brother and continued to this day by Ellen and Virgil’s descendants.  She supported their family and the business using her organizational, book keeping and homemaking skills. Virgil preceded Ellen in death by forty-seven years.

In later years she also enjoyed spending time with extended family near and far, giving her an opportunity to travel to Europe and across the United States.

Active in the community, Ellen was a seventy two year member of the Massac County Homemakers Association as well as a member of Massac County Farm Bureau Women's Committee, and an election judge.

Ellen Ruth was always staunch in her faith in the Lord.  She and Virgil taught their family to be likewise. She used her life and training as a living ministry, among other things, also being director of St Paul’s Lutheran Church of Metropolis choirs for over forty years.

Ellen was preceded in death by her parents; husband of twenty five years, Virgil C. Bremer; a sister and brother-in-law Carol and Robert Hausman; sisters-in-law Jeanie Williams, Dorris Williams, and brother-in-law Eugene Emerick.

She is survived by children Charles (Connie) Bremer, David (Deanna) Bremer, Nancy Bremer, and Martha Bremer; brother Clark Williams; sister Margaret Emerick; grandchildren Doyle Bremer, Chelsea Bremer, Chandra (Nick) Homann, Virgil R. (Crystal) Bremer, Marc (Ashley) Bremer, Dora Bremer, Laura (Patrick) Oswald, Brent Schaumburg, and Evan Schaumburg; great-grandchildren Olivia, Madilyn, Evelyn, Jocelyn, Ayla, Gage, Anna, Elliot, Edgar, and Riley; various nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held at 2 pm on Friday, November 26, 2021 at IOOF Cemetery in Metropolis with Rev. Timothy A. Bean and Rev. David Deem Officiating. Visitation with the family will be held from 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm at the cemetery prior to the services.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to St Paul’s Lutheran Church Memorial Fund: 520 Ferry St., Metropolis, IL or to the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI): 1616 W. Main Street No. 1146, Marion, IL 62959.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Aikins-Farmer-Loftus-McManus Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.aikinsfarmer-millerfh.com

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