Lilia Mae

So glad that she isn't struggling to breathe any more, but so hard and sad to imagine Aunt Lilia not with us. We were supposed to have a surprise birthday party for her in Arizona, but it was not to be. Instead family and friends gathered to celebrate the life of the one-of-a-kind Lilia Mae. What a wonderful tribute that so many people stood up and shared their fun stories and favorite memories of this extraordinary woman. 

Neat to think that she's the reason the Peterson family exists as it is. Aunt Lilia and Uncle Ed met in Virginia Beach, VA. They married and moved to Virginia, MN. When Ginia-mom went to visit her sister Lilia on the Iron Range, that's when she met Papa Stan. Ta-da! The Peterson Family!

Peterson Family

Brekke Family

Aunt Lilia had the warmest, most welcoming personality and she kept us all on our toes with her jokes and pranks.  A couple stories that stick in my memory...

• I had the opportunity to go stay for a week with Aunt Lilia & Uncle Ed as I was going into the seventh grade. It was a BIG deal for this country girl to go stay in to the Big City. Lilia took me shopping (I was totally overwhelmed), I got to eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast (never got to have sugary cereal at home), and Grant/Dede took me to Valley Fair. One night, when I asked what we were having for dinner, Lilia told me it was opossum. Saying something like they are common around here & Ed caught it. She was very serious & stuck to her story even when I questioned her a bit. Growing up vegetarian, I was kind of clueless when it came to meat, so I just ate it. It was good - tasted like chicken - which looking back, I'm sure it was. 
•  When I was pregnant with Campbell, Gabe and I went on a Babymoon to Arizona. We stopped to see Lilia for a couple days. She was excited for me and told me 'there's nothing like your first' (baby). At the time, I thought it was kind of strange, but now I know what she meant that I have a couple of kids of my own. Going through pregnancy, labor/delivery, newborn parenting for the very first time....it's something you just have to experience!
• When Campbell & I went to visit this past January, she hid around the corner, jumped out and scared the daylights out of Campbell. Even though she was hooked up to her oxygen, she didn't let that stop her from playing a good prank.

Aunt Lilia was an amazing person and forever young at heart. A wonderful role model with her fun loving spirit and great personality. She is sorely missed.

Obituary Published in Star Tribune on October 19, 2011

Lilia Mae (Sherrill) Brekke

Brekke, Lilia Mae (Sherrill) Died September 14, 2011, in Scottsdale, Arizona. At her request, no service will be held but a celebration of Lilia's life will be held on October 29, 2011 in Rio Verde, Arizona. Lilia was born November 2, 1925, in Andrews, North Carolina, to Edward & Florence Sherrill. She would be very upset with her kids knowing that we just gave away her actual age (a fact she held close to her heart) as she claimed to be only 29 for most of her life. During World War II, Lilia worked as a civilian employee for the Women's Army Corps and played for the WAC's basketball team in Virginia Beach, Virginia. While there, she met and eventually married Edward Brekke from Virginia, Minnesota. Ed and Lilia lived for 34 years in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area and 11 years in Orchard Park, New York. In 1989 they moved to Rio Verde, Arizona for their retirement. Lilia was an avid golfer and excellent Bridge player. She was very competitive in all her sporting endeavours and excelled in all of them. Lilia was the 6th born into a family of 8 kids and is now survived by two of her sisters, Jane Fuson and Virginia Peterson; 3 sons, Edward (Lourdes), Gary (Laura), Grant (Dede) and her daughter, Sherrill (Tom Bugbee). She is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She had many other relatives and good friends of all ages scattered around the country who will miss her kindness and warmth. Donations, in Lilia's name, may be sent to American Lung Association .