Wini J. Fuller

Celebration of Life Services for Winifred J. "Wini" Fuller will be held at the Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege, Nebraska, on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. with Pastors Daren Popple and Murray Jones officiating. Military Honors will be provided by the U.S. Marine Corps Honors Team at the conclusion of the service at the church.  A private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

Winifred Jane (Uehling) (Brower) "Wini" Fuller, 99 years of age, of Holdrege, went Home with her Savior on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, from her home in Holdrege.  She was born October 21, 1919 in Omaha, Nebraska, the eldest of three daughters, to Frederick H. and Sadie Mae (Nelson) Uehling.  As a child, Wini grew up in Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; and St. Paul, Minnesota before her family moved to Long Beach, California in 1930.  She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach with the class of 1937.  She then pursued higher education at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, graduating in 1941 with her Bachelor's Degree, going on to enroll at Western Reserve University Library School in Cleveland, Ohio, earning a degree in Library Science in 1942.

At the beginning of WW II, Wini was employed at a supply depot in Long Beach, California.  She was inducted into the United States Marine Corps on September 13, 1943 in Los Angeles, California.  She served her country as a Drill Sergeant training female recruits and was assigned to media training for both men and women at the Marine Corps Base, Parris Island, South Carolina. She later served with the Women's Reserve Battalion until her honorable discharge on November 28, 1945.

She married Harry Brower, a fellow Marine, while enlisted, on November 9, 1945, in the chapel on base. To this union four children were born: Cheryl, Denise, Lynne, and Neal. The family made their home in Florida and California.

Wini's focus was on raising her children, and she introduced each of them to Jesus. She supported the various interests of all four of her children, which kept her very busy. She was a skilled seamstress and baker. She used her talents as a pianist and a whistler to both praise God and entertain. As an "accidental" giraffe collector she amassed a great number of giraffes in different forms and many of her great-grandchildren kept a count of them at each visit.

Wini enjoyed a career as a media specialist in various primary and secondary schools in Fullerton, La Habra, and Lake Elsinore, California; the Kearney Public Library in Kearney, Nebraska; and also volunteered in many church libraries.  She spent time in the country of Sudan, cataloging a library while on a mission trip.  She was an avid reader all her life and encouraged her children to read, starting early by reading to them.

She married Ralph Fuller of Wildomar, California June 14, 1980. In 2005, she moved to Holdrege.

Wini had many life-long friendships made in college, during her time in the Marines, and while facilitating or attending women's Bible studies, where she was often called upon to run audio/video.  She was a member of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege, where she made many friends in both White Cross and Bible studies.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by husbands: Harry LaVerne Bower, Jr. and Ralph Lawrence Fuller; two sisters:  Mary Lawshe and Maidie Hohener; her father-in-law, and mother-in-law:  Harry L. Brower, Sr. and Sadie Brower; and her first grandson, Abraham Gustafson.

She leaves to celebrate her life her four children: Cheryl Brower of Holdrege; Denise Gustafson and her husband, Doug of Holdrege; Lynne Brower of Wildomar, California; and Neal Brower and his wife, Judy of San Francisco, California; seven grandchildren: Stacie Andersen of Holdrege; Grant Gustafson and his wife, Beth of Lebanon, Tennessee; Rebecca Willhoit and her husband, Tom Neth of Gualala, California; Sam Brower of Wildomar; Luke Brower of Greeley, Colorado; Jake Brower and his wife, Anne Marie of Omaha; and Emily Bergsten and her husband, James of Ashland, Nebraska; fourteen great-grandchildren:  Leroy and Ivan Gustafson, Gualala; Gray and Jake Gustafson, Lebanon; Kayla, Elijah, Alea and Ezekiel Brower, Greeley; Sadie, Neal and Maggie Brower, Omaha; Gavin, Chloe and Will Bergsten, Ashland; brother-in-law, Conrad Hohener of Santa Ana, California; a host of  nieces, nephews, other relatives; and a precious friend, Maxine Reed of Holdrege.

There will be no visitation, as the family is honoring Wini's wish for cremation.

A memorial has been established in Wini's honor, and is kindly suggested to the family for later designation.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of arrangements.