In Loving Memory

It has only been a few months into the New Year and heaven has already welcomed several close friends of mine; including recently, my Dearly Beloved Aunt Ella Violet Brokaw; whose memorial service was held yesterday - Sunday, May 15, 2011. Ironically in 1998; grief stricken, I had dropped out of college because her husband of 51 years, my Uncle Bill passed away. 13 years later, early April 2011; I had just completed my re-enrollment for the same college I had been attending in 1998, when shortly afterwards I received the sad news about my Aunt departing. My Aunt and Uncle were my mentors, my role-models, my friends. There wasn’t a single birthday or holiday in my life that they never forgot to send me cards and gifts. The letters and pictures they sent me, the many phone calls all helped to fill the void of the miles between us. They were genuinely two exceptionally remarkable, extraordinary people who lived the moral fibers of their Christian faith; extending this lovingly into the lives of all those they knew, including in the raising of their own two children and in carrying on their traditions with each new member of their ever growing family. Now with only 2 weeks before admittedly; I am one year from the age of 50, this has come to be an end to an era for me. Yet; as I look at my sister, who’s oldest child Dirk will graduate high school this year and her youngest child Bennie will soon follow suite... As I look to my own Daughter and I watch how my Daughter is successfully raising her own Family, blessing them with the same love and values I was raised and influenced by from my Aunt and Uncle; I am reminded of the song sang by Elton John (sung below by my Nephews), that the ‘Circle of Life’ truly does go on.

Thanks Uncle Bill and Aunt Ella for the many fantastic memories; from our walks on the beach, the wedding of your daughter, the hand your son held of the child you so lovingly watched over, the violin recitals you attended, my first double dipped ice cream cone, you alls VW bug, Mr. Potato Head, the home you two so lovingly shared, the hornets, the skylight, the paintings, the piano, the many flavorfully preserved mason jars, …

And here’s to you Aunt Ella and Uncle Bill, an end of an era; but your traditions continue to live on!

Circle of Life by Dirk Parker and Bennie Parker

The Parker Brothers Music

Ella Brokaw Obituary: View Ella Brokaw's Obituary by Times Recorder:

Ella Cronk Brokaw


HENDERSONVILLE, NC: Ella Cronk Brokaw, 85, passed away April 9, 2011 in the home of her daughter. Born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on December 30, 1925, she was the youngest child of Ethel Simonds and George Cronk.

She attended Broadview Academy and Emmanual Missionary College where she met her husband of 51 years, William G. Brokaw. Ella attended and then taught at Meredith Business College. She was an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and could often be found making costumes for the school and church plays. In 2001, following the death of her husband in 1998, Ella moved to Hendersonville, NC to live with her daughter and be closer to her son.

She is survived by her brother, Duane Cronk and Mary; her sister, Evelyn Vaughn and Arky; her son, William E. Brokaw and Sherra; daughter, Patricia J. Moore and Pierce. She has seven grandchildren, Jason Brokaw, Terissa Miller, Tonya Oxford, Adam Hiltner, Kaylin Lang, Brian Moore, and Heather Carvill; and six great-grandchildren.

She was loving, creative, and generous with both her time and talents. Her beautiful smile and sweet spirit will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her.

A memorial service will be held at Zanesville Memorial Park on May 15, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

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