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Adela Marie Briske, 94

Adela Marie Briske, 94, went to be with Jesus on March 29, 2018, surrounded by several family members singing “Amazing Grace” at Schneidmiller Hospice House.

Adela was born in Montevideo, Minn., to Charles and Clara (Ostley) Brownson on Aug. 16, 1923. She had two brothers, Francis and Vernon, and one sister, June (Finney) Brownson.

When she was 6 her family moved to Sacramento, Calif., because of the Great Depression and she graduated from Grant High School. While there, she was active in the high school band, playing the saxophone, and active in her church’s Luther League, where she met her future husband.

She married Ernest Briske in Carson City, Nev., on Dec. 11, 1941. During the war, she did help for a while by helping to build airplanes. In later years she took a course as a beautician and cut hair for a while.

After the war she moved to northeast Montana and helped her husband on a small farm that he had inherited from his parents. Here they raised three children, Bruce, Arlene and Ronald. She was very busy being a mother and homemaker. She enjoyed baking, sewing, gardening, rock collecting and making jewelry out of Montana agates.

In 1967 Adela and Ernie purchased a trailer court and moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to be closer to her daughter and to get away from the harsh northeast Montana climate. In 1974 they moved to Rathdrum, Idaho. She took up playing the organ, enjoyed camping, flowers, berry picking, and would play Scrabble with anyone who wanted to play. She was a cat lover and enjoyed hummingbirds too.

Adela and Ernie were married for 48 years. After Ernie passed in 1989, Adela moved to Spokane, Wash., for about 10 years and in 1999 she moved to Spirit Lake, Idaho. Most recently she lived at Generations Assisted Living.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Francis Brownson; husband Ernest Briske; son, Bruce Briske; daughter, Arlene (Jones) Briske; and grandson, Bart Bonebright.

She is survived by her son, Ronald (Mary Jo) Briske of Rathdrum; daughter-in-law, Mary V. Briske of Loveland Colo.; grandchildren, Scott (Danielle) Briske, John (Wendylyn) Briske, Angie Jones, Don and Janine Jones, Liz, Joe and Mark (Jeanette) Jones of Spokane. Also survived by Jennifer (Peter) Feld, Gretchen (Victor Gordillo) Briske, Matt Briske and Brigitte Boucher all of Rathdrum, Idaho. She also has several nieces and nephews, and great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

We celebrate the time you have given to us and the relationships we have had with you. It may not have always have been a crazy big event, but quietly in your gentle, loving, humble, caring spirit, you have taught us all life’s lessons through the wisdom and knowledge obtained through your life. It may not have always been all warm and fuzzy, but you have led many to the one who is most faithful in our lives, Jesus. We know you have upheld His word, not perfectly, but God forgives all who ask. You have shown us strength to go on, prayed for us, shared with us B.I.B.L.E. teachings which are the “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” We appreciated you as a mother, a sister, an auntie, a mother-in-law, a grandma, a great-grandma, a great-great-grandma and also as a friend.

There will be a visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 5, 2018, at English Funeral Home, 1133 N. Fourth St. in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Adela’s funeral is at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 6, 2018, at Shepherd of the Hills in Rathdrum, followed by a luncheon with graveside service at 2 p.m. at Pine Grove Cemetery in Rathdrum. Memorials may be given to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran or Animal Shelter of North Idaho.

English Funeral Chapel is entrusted with the arrangements. To see Adela’s online obituary please visit www.englishfuneralchapel.com.