Mary Louise (Reed) Bro

Mary Louise (Reed) Bro 89, died Friday, November 25, 2022, at Western Home Communities in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  She was born on May 28, 1933, in Clinton, Iowa, daughter of Clarence and Luella (Rossiter) Reed.  She married Ronald Dean Bro on August 14, 1955, in Clinton.

Funeral services will be held at 11am on Thursday, January 12, 2023, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4000 Hudson Rd.,Cedar Falls. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 10am.  Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Mary graduated from Clinton High School in 1951.  She attended Iowa State Teachers College for two years, receiving a two-year teaching degree in elementary education.  She returned to University of Northern Iowa for two more years and graduated with a B.A. in 1983.  She taught first grade in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and preschool at Jack & Jill and Farmstead Preschools in Cedar Falls.  Her career included international teaching positions in Cairo, Egypt, 1986, and in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1993. After retirement she continued her interest in child development by reading to preschool children through the Cedar Falls library's "Traveling Tales Program." She had a genuine love of children, treating each one as the unique individual that they were.

Mary valued reading, nature, the arts, and music; teaching these qualities to her children and grandchildren. She sang in the church choirs at Nazareth Lutheran and Bethlehem Lutheran Churches. Relentless at cards and board games; she was a tough competitor. She was forever a fan of the UNI Panthers and Iowa high school girls' basketball tournaments.

Mary and Ron lived and traveled throughout North America, Europe, and Africa. They enjoyed spending summers and winter holidays at their vacation home in northern Wisconsin.  She embraced Ron's Danish heritage while researching her own English and Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry.

Survivors include her husband, Ronald; her daughter, Beth (John) Roof of LaCrosse, WI; her son, Reed (Jamie) Bro of Colorado Springs, CO; four grandchildren: Audrey (Tony) Horacek of Holmen, WI, Samuel (Nika George) Roof of Omaha, NE, Stephanie (Clint) Calli of Colorado Springs, CO, and Mary (Michael) Manning of Oklahoma City, OK; seven great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Velda and Nadine, and brother Jack.

Memorials may be sent to the Museum of Danish America, 2212 Washington St., Elk Horn, IA 51531. https://www.danishmuseum.org/get-involved/donate