Obituary of Mary Ellen Brumley

Mary Ellen Brumley, 95, of 2104 Palmer Circle, died Thursday night, September 2, 2010, at Mercy Hospital. Services will be on Tuesday Sept 7th at 10:30 am at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service, followed by burial in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday Sept 6th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church. Mary Ellen was born to Carolyn Jane (Smith) and Tira Connell on Feb 27, 1915 in Deep River, Iowa. She attended school in Deep River and graduated in 1932 and then went on to graduate from the Gohde School of Cosmetology in Lincoln, Neb. She owned and operated her own beauty salon in downtown Iowa City for many years. In 1936 Mary Ellen married Larry Brumley in Rock Island, IL. Together, they operated a rental property business until Larry’s death on April 11, 1994. She was a loving mother to her two sons, Terry Brumley of Centerville, IA and James Brumley of Iowa City. She studied voice at the University of Iowa and Grinnell College and was an accomplished pianist, as well as an expert seamstress. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church UMW and the American Legion Auxiliary. She remained active in the church and the lives of her family, attending her granddaughter Katie’s wedding just 2 months prior to her passing.. She was predeceased by her parents and her 4 brothers Lawrence, Mike, Clancy and Cliff. She was survived by her beloved sons, Jim and Terry; her daughter-in-law Karen; her 4 grandchildren Kirsten, Robert, David and Katie; and 2 great-granddaughters Emily and Kathryn.