Marge was born January 29th, 1932 in Doon, Iowa to Sybron and Hattie Stallinga. She had four siblings, of which she was the second youngest.
Upon completing high school, Marge attended Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa and Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she earned her teaching certificate. Eventually, she began teaching in Ocheydan, Iowa, where she met Alvin (Al) Bremer. Al and Marge married on August 16th, 1957 and built a life together until Al’s death on August 15th, 2013.
Upon their marriage, Marge and Al settled into farming life, near Ocheydan, and began a family, with their two children, Sonda and Glendon, being born, not long after, just over a year apart. However, ultimately, they had other plans as Al decided to go back to school to earn his degree in Mortuary Science. The two of them, with toddlers in tow, struck out on a new adventure. First to Bemidji, Minnesota and later to Minneapolis / St. Paul, where Al completed his degree at the University of Minnesota and Marge stayed home with two young children. Marge remarked many times, that this period, living in tiny University housing for families, while challenging, was among the most fun and best times of their lives.
After Al’s graduation, and a brief stop in Battle Creek, Iowa, Marge and Al eventually landed in Mason City, in October 1963, where they purchased the then, McCauley-McKassen Funeral Home, becoming McCauley-Bremer. While raising the kids, Marge also worked actively, behind the scenes, in the Funeral Home.
In 1968, after Al joined forces with Chuck Hogan to form Hogan-Bremer Colonial Chapel, Marge, in addition to being “Mom,” embarked on her own career endeavors. She first taught Fashion Merchandising at Hamilton College and later owned and operated a highly successful Management Recruiters search firm, in Mason City. Politically active, during the 1980’s, she also served as County Chairman for the George HW Bush campaign in 1988 and enjoyed hosting George and Barbara Bush during the prelude to the 1988 Iowa Caucus. Later, Marge was certified as a grief counselor and developed and implemented a grief management program as a service for Hogan – Bremer clients and the community at large. She later published “Grief Shared,” a comprehensive manual to assist with the training of grief counselors at funeral homes throughout the country.
Upon retirement, Marge and Al gradually made Naples, Florida their permanent home. While both were still in good health, they enjoyed their retirement, mostly centered around kids and grandkids, with Sonda and her family nearby in Naples and Glendon (Glen) in Beaverton, OR, to which they made extended annual visits.
Marge was a Christ follower from an early age, raised in a Christian home. Upon their move to Naples, she especially loved the music and Biblical teaching at their retirement church home at First Baptist Church of Naples. She is remembered by her family as a loving and devoted Mother and Grandmother (who often worried too much!) She was a strong and intelligent woman, deeply convicted in her beliefs and fiercely loyal to those she cared about. She will be missed by all who knew her, especially her family.
Marge was preceded in death by, and joining in Heaven, her Husband, Alvin Bremer, her parents, Sybron and Hattie Stallinga, her brother Jude Stallinga, her brother Henry Stallinga, her sister, Jeanette Van Egdom, and her brother Sydney Stallinga.
She is survived by her children and their spouses, Sonda and Paul Kuhn of Naples, FL and Glen and Diane Bremer, of Beaverton, Oregon. Her grandchildren, Brandon Kuhn, Alton Kuhn, Mackenzie Kuhn and Zoie Bremer, and her great grandchildren Payton and Kennedy Kuhn.
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