Gladyce Jean (Brouwer) Alsum

The funeral service will be live-streamed at:

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Gladyce Jean (Brouwer) Alsum, age 90, of Willmar, went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, April 5, at Bethesda Grand in Willmar.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. followed by the funeral service at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 13, at the Bunde Christian Reformed Church near Clara City.  Interment will be in the church cemetery.  Memorials to Central Minnesota Christian School are preferred.  Arrangements are with the Tri-County Funeral Home of Prinsburg.  www.tricountyfuneral.com

Gladyce was born on October 7, 1932, to George and Marie (Taatjes) Brouwer on a farm near Prinsburg. She loved working alongside her dad on the farm and attended Central Minnesota Christian School till the 8th grade. Gladyce continued her education at Western Christian High School in Hull, IA. After graduating in 1950, she attended an accelerated summer school program at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI to gain a teaching certificate during a teacher shortage at the time. That Fall, she began teaching grade school classes at Randolph Christian School in Wisconsin.

While in Wisconsin, she met her future husband, Bernard, at a church young adult group. During their long wartime engagement, Gladyce moved back to her hometown in 1953 and taught school at Central Minnesota Christian School, in Prinsburg.

Gladyce retired from teaching when she married Bernard Alsum on June 15, 1956, at Bunde Christian Reformed Church. They made their home in rural Raymond. Gladyce was a faithful wife and mother supporting her family of seven children on the farm by tending large vegetable and flower gardens. She strove to teach her children to love the Lord and get a Christian education. She was an avid Bluejay fan and enjoyed many basketball games. 

Her faith was very important to her. She was an active member of Bunde Christian Reformed Church where she began the GEMS (Calvinette) program for them.  She served as a leader with many organizations in the community and as President of the Minnesota Gideon International Auxiliary. She was quick to share the gospel and hand out a New Testament with many people. She had a huge heart for the women she ministered to in prisons. Gladyce enjoyed traveling and camping with her family when they were young and then, visiting grandchildren as the family grew. As empty nesters, she knitted and crocheted many afghans while riding with her husband to many mission projects or Gideon conventions.

In 1994, they retired in Willmar where they continued as active community members with Prison Ministry and volunteer drivers for Kandiyohi Area Transit as senior chauffeurs.

When widowed, she lovingly made quilts for her kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren, while humming or singing hymns of praise. She will forever be remembered as the grandma that liked to play games and do puzzles and was a keen batter for a game of 500 with the Brouwer cousins.

Gladyce is survived by seven children: Bonita Alsum (and Stephen Pruett) of Grand Rapids, MI, Greg (and Kelly) Alsum of Bayfield, CO, Arlyn (and Julie) Alsum of Raymond, Joel (and Susan) Alsum of Waupun, WI, and Chad Alsum (and Pam Owen) of Willmar; Krista (and Gene) Van Bruggen of Sheldon, IA, and Tamera (and William) Angus of Canton, MA; 10 Grandchildren - Laura, Lynn (Daniel), Lance (Autumn), Ashley, Leah(Ryan), Joshua, Jonathan, Jenna, Elizabeth, and MacKenzie ; five great-grandchildren; Quintan, Kaydence, Kayla, Alexander, and Linley. She is also survived by her brothers wife, Marlys Brouwer of Pella, IA; her husband's sister-in-law, Mariann Alsum of Winona, her husband’s brothers, Marvin (and Joann) Alsum of Randolph, WI, and Norm (and Ruth) Alsum of Alto, WI; and her husband's sister, Dorene (and Nick) Hengeveld of Beloit, WI.

She was preceded in death by her husband; Bernard H. Alsum, parents; George and Marie Brouwer, Brothers; Wallace and Kenneth Brouwer, Grandson; Liam Angus, her husband's brothers and their wives, Gerald and Jennie Alsum, Kenneth and Myrna Alsum, and her husband’s brother, Donald Alsum.

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