2011. She was born on May 26, 1917 in Montrose, MO to Albert & Mae Brownsberger. Her
brother James Brownsberger resides in Florida. Helen was preceded in death by her parents,
three of her four brothers and her sister: Joe Brownsberger, Dr. Robert Brownsberger, Dr.
Donnie Brownsberger and Arlene (Brownsberger) Hunzeker.
Helen graduated from Appleton City High School in 1935 before attending St. Mary’s College in
Xavier, KS. She married Donald W. Lober, Jr (deceased) on March 27, 1942 in Kansas City.
They had 6 children together: James “Jimmy” Lober (deceased); Shawn (and Shelley) Lober of
Danville, CA; Susan (and Stan) Brown of Kansas City, MO, Nancy (and Buzz) Krohn of
Noblesville, IN; Linda (and Russ) Hinds of Kansas City, MO; John (and Lori) Lober of Kansas
City, MO.
Helen and Donald Lober lived in Washington DC while Don worked at the Pentagon. Their son
James “Jimmy” Donald Lober was born in 1944 in Washington DC. Jimmy gave Helen the gift
of 2 grandchildren, his sons Charlie and Robert Lober. Charlie gave Helen 1 great-grandchild,
Alexandria and Rob and his wife, Julie, gave Helen 3 great-grandchildren: Kira, Zoe & Mary
Helen (Helen’s latest great- grandchild). Charlie lives in Missouri and Rob and his family reside
in northern California.
After relocating to Chicago, Helen gave birth to Susan Marie Lober in 1947. Susan and Stan
Brown gave Helen 2 grandsons, Ken Williams & Scott Brown, who have given Helen 4 greatgrandchildren:
Caiti & Spencer Williams and Seth & Adam Brown, all whom currently reside in
the Kansas City area. A 5th great-grandchild is on the way from Kenny & Susie.
Helen & Don moved to Liberty, MO before giving birth to Shawn Charles Lober in 1949, Nancy
Ann Lober in 1950, Linda Kay Lober Hinds in 1953 and John Robert Lober in 1957. Shawn and
Shelley Lober gave Helen 4 more grandchildren: Barrett & Jessica Lober and Brittany & Nick
Bringoff, all of whom reside in northern California. Nancy Krohn gave Helen a granddaughter,
Nancy Kathryn and 2 great-grandchildren, Athen & Nevaeh Byrne. Nancy, Buzz and their
immediate family all reside in central Indiana. Linda & Russ Hinds live in Lake Waukomis,
MO, where Helen enjoyed spending weekends with family at their lake house. Susan and Stan
Brown reside in Kansas City and have also been a steady source of support for Helen. Susan has
always been there to help with whatever Helen needed. Stan made sure that Helen made it to her
Walking Group regularly so that she didn’t miss out on the Senior Discount Coffee at
McDonalds. John and his wife Lori also reside in Kansas City. John & Lori gave Helen five
grandchildren: Colby McClain (deceased), Jimmy Lober (deceased), and Michelle, Anthony &
Danny Lober; and, one great-grandchild, Alex.
As one of the out of state family members, I want to recognize and extend our heartfelt
appreciation to all of the Kansas City family members for all of the “hands on” help that they
have provided to Helen, particularly over these past twilight years of her life!
The very best and most fun times of Helen’s 94 year journey were when her children would all
come together. The infamous “Brownsberger Reunions” have kept everyone close and in touch
and may be the most memorable of those fun times in Helen’s life. Helen didn’t invent the
“loving family get together” concept. It was ingrained in her throughout her lifetime as a
Brownsberger. Her brother, James, is now the last one standing from Helen’s era of the
Brownsberger lineage. But the goodness that Helen learned from being raised as a
Brownsberger – that was ingrained in her by her mother and father, by her brothers and her
sister, and from the extended families that are now all inter-twined within this Brownsberger
family tree - has been a guiding light of “goodness” that being a part of this Family is all about.
What makes the Brownsberger Family Tree so very special?
Perspectives from one of the in-laws, Helen’s 3rd favorite son-n-law:
Believe me when I tell you that the Brownsberger Family Tree is not a 2x4. There are almost as
many branches in the Brownsberger Family Tree as there are branches in the US Government.
The in-laws that have been woven into this family are quite diverse – present company included.
But I think that I can speak from the standpoint of being an extended member of this
Brownsberger Clan (about as extended as they come) that I am a much better person because of
knowing Helen, because of knowing all of you here today, because of my association with the
Brownsberger family, and the values and goodness that come with being connected to this
family. I am a much better person than I was before meeting Helen and the rest of the
Brownsbergers. I connected with the family through some of the outer branches of the Tree. As
we move farther towards the center of the tree (away from me, away from Herman & away from
Jim Barry and more towards the Lobers, Hunzekers and Brownsbergers), I’m sure that you all
can relate to what I’m saying and probably feel the same way. You’ve all been a part of this
family all of your lives. So you all know better than I about the goodness of your family, the
goodness of your heritage and the goodness that comes from being a part of this Brownsberger
Family Legacy, the Brownsberger Family Tree… So if there is a “take-away” here, it would be
to:
1. Always remember the goodness & kindness that came from Helen and her heritage as a
Brownsberger.
2. Always remember how important your family is to you and how important that each of
you are to them.
3. Tell your family and loved ones how much you care about them. Let them know that you
are there for them thru thick and thin – as Helen always was for her family and friends.
4. Do the right things in life; use Helen and her sibling’s as examples of how we can all
become better people.
5. Use their influence and examples as your own moral barometer for all of the important
things in life. Ask yourself, “How would Helen handle this particular situation?” Or,
“What would a Brownsberger do if they were in your shoes?”
6. Let the intrinsic moral standards and values that come from being a part of the
Brownsberger Family guide you through the thick and the thin times.
God knows that Helen had her share of thick and thin times. She always used her faith and her
family values to guide her down the right path. We should all do the same. Helen, her brothers
and her sister are the nexus that brought us all together today. I think that they had things figured
out pretty well. As we all grow older, we can appreciate the wisdom that comes from
experience. Just as Helen’s parents passed on the knowledge, values and goodness that they
learned during their lives, Helen and her sister and brothers all did their very best to put us all
onto the right path in our lives. Let’s look to them for guidance during the good times and
especially during the darkest times of our lives. Remember all of the good things that have come
our way because of Helen, because of her Brownsberger heritage.
I want to be more like Helen in many ways. She was kind, caring and forgiving. And, I truly
enjoyed her sense of humor. I used to always tell Helen that I thought that she was “A Saint”.
Being the humble and non-assuming person that she was, she told me that I actually reminded
her of “A Saint”. So I asked her, “Do you mean like St Luke or St John?” And she quickly
said, “Heavens no, I meant a Saint Bernard”… Seriously, Helen did have a wonderful sense of
humor. She always enjoyed a good joke or a funny story. Laughter is yet another lesson we can
take away from Helen. Keep laughing. Life should be fun!
In addition to being a wonderful wife, mother & grandmother, Helen has always been active in
the Catholic Church, including Daughters of Isabella, St Gabriel’s Catholic Church since 1964.
She provided 2,850 hours of volunteer service at Children's Mercy Hospital, KC, MO. She was
President of Gamma Phi Beta Mothers Club in Kansas City (1970-1972), was President of the
Missouri Savings and Loan Ladies League Organization (1972) and loved being involved in her
Bridge Clubs. Helen always relied upon her strong Christian beliefs and family convictions as
the guiding light throughout her life. She always had a smile on her face and a kind word
whenever she spoke.
The automobile had started to really “catch on” about the time of Helen’s birth. She started
raising her six children during World War II, which was a period of time when things were not
all that easy. She lived through economic booms, recessions, the great depression and witnessed
the evolution of the United States becoming a “super power” in every way. Her brothers,
brother-in-law and husband all served our Country during WW II, most were air force pilots.
Helen saw the evolution of what is now our airline industry, witnessed the first manned mission
to the Moon and lived to see the development of the International Space Station. But according
to her closest family members, she was most impressed with the evolution of the John Deere
tractor. From her family upbringing on the farm in Appleton City, Helen saw, first hand, how
the evolution of the John Deere tractor made life on the family farm much easier, more efficient
and become one of this Country’s most important and profound international businesses. She
was amazed by those big tractors and combines that we now all take for granted.
Helen sold real estate for a number of years, loved being a “hands on” investor in the Stock
Market, was a regular participant in the Church Choir and rarely missed Mass when she was
healthy. Her faith and positive outlook on life has and will continue to be inspirational to all
who knew her. But the unconditional love for her family and her consistent support through
thick and thin is perhaps Helen’s greatest legacy.
May God bless Helen, as well as her family and friends.
Helen Brownsberger Lober will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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