Emilia ‘Emily’ Johanna Brossart, the daughter of Balthasar and Margaret (Baumgartner) Welk was born in the home of her parents in Orrin, North Dakota on August 4, 1924. She died at the age of 89 on Sunday, February 16, 2014 at the Heart of America Care Center in Rugby.

Emily was raised in the home of her parents and attended grade school in Sandale Township and completed her education at Rugby High School. While attending high school, she worked for room and board at Dr. Kuhn’s office and home. Following high school, she worked at J.C. Penney’s in Devils Lake and later at the Dime Store in Rugby. On June 9, 1947, Emily was united in marriage to Paul G. Brossart at St. Theresa’s Little Flower Church in Rugby. They made their home six miles Northeast of Rugby until 1956. In 1956, they purchased a farm 1 ½ miles Northeast of Rugby where they resided, farmed and raised their family. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother and homemaker, Emily also worked outside the home for C & G Incorporated as a bookkeeper and salesperson for thirteen years, at Little Flower Parish office for 1 ½ years, and with her sister Barbara, she managed the Cornerstone Café for a time. Later in life, she studied to become a certified CNA and worked at the Good Samaritan Hospital, where she loved taking care of others. She always had so much compassion when caring for others. Her favorite part of this job was working in the nursery and caring for the babies. Her pleasures were helping Paul with the farm, gardening, baking, cooking, embroidering and crocheting; and she loved her house. Emily was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Christian Mothers, and the Ever Helpful Homemakers Club. In June of 2005, the couple moved to the Haaland Manor Apartments in Rugby. Paul died November 4, 2005.

Emily is survived by her children, Vernon of Williston, Paulette (Dan) McMenamy of Grand Forks, Greg (Jodi) Brossart, Mary Jean (Neil) Lotvedt of Rugby, and Cindy Brossart (Keith Larson) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 17 grandchildren; 36 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; sister Pauline (Mike) Mitzel of Granville; sister-in-laws: Antonia (Joe) Brossart, Frances (Wendy) Sattler, Barbara (Frank) Voeller, Rose (Nick) Axtman, and Lizzie (Lynn) Carlson; several nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband; grandsons: Clifton and James Brossart; brothers: Mike, August, and Anton; sisters: Katherine Thomas, Frances Weigel, Margaret Scheet, Barbara Koble, Elizabeth Mitzel, Mary Mitzel, Antonia Filler, Johanna and Margeret in infancy; and her parents.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 24^th in the Little Flower Catholic Church in Rugby with spring burial in the church cemetery, Rugby.  Father Tom Graner, Celebrant.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, February 23^rd at the Anderson Funeral Home in Rugby and will continue on Monday from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.  There will be no reviewal at the church.

Rosary and vigil prayers will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday in the funeral home.