1922 – Avis Bernice (Jacobson) Van de Braak – 2019
Avis Bernice, second of the four “Jacobson sisters”, was born to Harry and Bertha (Thorson) Jacobson on the family farm in Leeds Township near Hadley, Minnesota on June 28, 1922. She was baptized, confirmed, and married in Hadley Lutheran Church. Avis passed October 31, 2019, at the age of 97 years. Avis grew up during the Great Depression but remembered these as happy years, enriched greatly by the love, immeasurable faith, and strength of her parents, sisters, and extended family. She attended primary school in Hadley for eight years and then graduated from Slayton High School in 1940. Following high school, she attended Mankato State Teacher’s College and graduated from there in 1942. She taught in Hanska, Ellsworth, and Mountain Lake, Minnesota. On July 17, 1948, Avis and Richard Van de Braak were married at the Hadley Lutheran Church. Following their marriage, they farmed east of Slayton, Minnesota. They were blessed with five children: Virginia, Harriet, Patricia, Richard (Rickey), and Mark. After Richard’s death in July 2002, Avis continued to live on the farm until she entered Our House of Murray County on October 30, 2019. Avis was tiny in stature but enormous in her love and devotion to her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, and friends. She was extremely proud of her Norwegian heritage and of being a “full-blooded Norwegian”. Avis was a member of the Slayton United Methodist Church where she was active in United Methodist Women, Ruth Circle, and 3Ms. She shared her faith by teaching Sunday school and Release Time for many years. She enjoyed life and considered each day a gift. Avis enjoyed her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, and friends. She thoroughly enjoyed people and visiting with them, reading, baseball, especially the Minnesota Twins, shopping, concerts, plays, and Kim Konkol’s bus trips. Avis enjoyed her years in Bible Study and felt her life was enriched by each and every one of her Bible Study friends. She also enjoyed Federated Women’s Club and the “500” Club with her Slayton and Fulda friends.
Blessed to have shared her life and her love are her: children: Virginia (Larry) Bruner, Harriet (Jerry) Braun, Patricia (David) Reitsma and Mark (Cathy) Van de Braak; grandchildren: Scott Bruner (fiancée Heather), Kevin Bruner, Jeremy (Karin) Braun, Thomas (Siri) Braun, Michael (Kali) Braun, Stacey (David) Bremer, Kelley (Steven) Lang, Kristy (Corey) Anderson, Rebecca Van de Braak and Seth Van de Braak; great-grandchildren: Jordan and Carson Bremer, Madison and Jack Lang, Alayna and Macy Anderson, Clara, Jonas and Matthew Braun, Caleb, Myles and Isaac Braun, and Ian and Noelle Braun. Avis was preceded in death by her parents Harry and Bertha Jacobson; husband Richard; son Richard Paul (Rickey); sisters and their husbands: Maxine and Robert Keller, Bette Jean Payton Taylor and Robert Payton; Mary Ann and Edward Suedbeck and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Gerrit and LaDonna Van de Braak, Gertrude and Richard Menken, and Annetta and Clarence Miller.
Funeral services will be held at the United Methodist Church in Slayton on Friday, November 8, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Ethanie Schmidt officiating. The organist is Janet Voges. Interment will be at Slayton Memorial Gardens in Slayton, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church on Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Our House Hospice Home in Slayton, MN. To send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome.com
