Celebration of Life Martha (Marti) Lea Broekemeier May 16th, 1956 ~ February 24, 2023
On February 24th, Heaven gained an extraordinary soul. Marti was a bright and colorful ribbon with a beautiful and contagious smile touching so many lives along the way. Many times she would slightly tip her head with a twinkle in her eye, and you would know you were in for something special. She lived life fully and fearlessly, always exploring new ideas and trying things others could only have imagined. In school her nickname was “pivot queen,” moving from one thing to the next without missing a beat. During her final days on Earth, ready to make that final “pivot queen” move from here to Heaven, Marti insisted family and friends joyfully gather to celebrate her life. Happy Heavenly Birthday Marti! She did not want us to mourn the day Jesus chose to take her home to Heaven; no tears, only cheers!
If you couldn’t find her in her library, you could find her barefoot in her garden tending to plants of all kinds. She had an appreciation for each and every one of God’s creations, even the spiders in her house which were “good for eating bad bugs.”
Martha Lea was born to Clarence (Jiggs) Jurging (May 8, 1912-2005) and Nina (Harms) Jurging (March 27, 1912-2003) in Fremont, Nebraska on May 16th, 1956. As a young girl her interests grew big at Summer Camp – riding horses, shooting arrows and guns, and playing in the outdoors. Along the way she made new friends while keeping special bonds with the old, making memories that did not fade with time. After graduating Fremont High School, she followed her dreams by completing courses in drafting and design. At Rain Tree in Fremont, NE while Marti was playing a round of foosball, she caught the attention of a handsome young home builder, Ricki Broekemeier. In a small service in Grand Lake, Colorado they were married April 19th, 1980 at Church of the Pines with close family and friends at their sides, followed by skiing in Winter Park for their honeymoon. She had an adventurous and carefree spirit; even putting the pedal to the metal racing in Rick’s 1973 Camaro. They built a life like none-other raising four daughters Ashley, Brianna, Carly and Desirae. As a young mom, her girls were often entertained by her spontaneous dances and outbreaks of singing, bringing giggles and bursts of joyful laughter to their lives. She brought her talent of drafting homes and design to the Broekemeier Showcase, where she would bring all the customers’ dreams to life. As a grandmother, a tradition of cooking Sunday brunch was born. In true Nani tradition she spent every Sunday making brunch from scratch using her homegrown herbs and ingredients, always accommodating for each and every dietary restriction her family required. Marti was always full of great ideas; once envisioned, Rick would make it happen. When not working side by side with her husband, Marti loved reading. She was a voracious reader and listened to hundreds of audio books of every genre from non-fiction to fantasy dragon lore. Her bedtime ritual of falling asleep to a good book was a must. From music by Jefferson Airplane and Cher to Alanis Morissette and Metallica, she would jam to everything. She played the drums in the video game, Rock Band, keeping the beat as she did throughout all of our lives. She was our heartbeat that will forever be a part of us.
“Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain!” Quote by Vivian Greene
Martha leaves behind her husband, Rick, of 43 years; daughters Ashley Broekemeier; grandchildren William and Evaline; Brianna (Cody) Lofgren; grandchildren Rayna, Niriah, and Waylon; Carly Broekemeier; Desirae (Clint) Hansen; brother David (late Jodie) Jurging, and sister, Mary (Jeff) Wiley.
On March 31st, 2023 Marti’s Celebration of Life will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church (434 N Lincoln Street) at 10:30am, followed by a meal at the Nielsen Community Center (200 Anna Stalp Ave) in West Point, NE. As a celebration, Marti asked that everyone wear colorful party attire.
Martha’s final words of wisdom were “Run” (I have finished my race, now is in store for me the crown of righteousness), and “Amen” (So be it).
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Hebrews 12:1-2