Keely Beth Brower of Schulenburg passed away on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 at the age of 37 from leukemia.
Keely was born on Sept. 4, 1985 in Weimar to parents Byron and Dusty Wagner. On Oct. 12, 2013, she married Jeff Brower and the two resided in Schulenburg. Together, they had two sons, Hagan Dane and Hollis Cole.
Keely is survived by her husband, Jeff Brower; sons, Hagan and Hollis Brower; parents, Byron and Dusty Wagner; father-inlaw and mother-in-law, Dennis and Ruth Brower; sisters, Karissa Kleiber and husband Ryan, and Kami Stone and husband Jacob Stone; sister-in-law, Keri Brower; nieces, Malee and Maggie Kleiber and Kendall Stone; and nephews, Mason and Maddox Kleiber, and Jackson Stone.
Preceding her in death were her grandparents, Otis and JoAnn Wagner, Donnie and Martha Cowling, and Fred and Jean Burger.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022 at 11 a.m. at United Evangelical Lutheran Church at Swiss Alp. Officiating were Pastor Lemae Higgs, Pastor Walter Hildebrandt and Pastor Brad Otto. She was laid to rest in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Cullen Klesel, Shane Lesikar, Spence Lesikar, Aaron Machac, Donnie Vanicek and C.J. Cowling.
Keely Beth Brower came into this world on Sept. 4, at 9:30 a.m. on Labor Day weekend of 1985. She was welcomed home by her parents and big sister Karissa. They had just finished building their first home in Swiss Alp and it was completed just in time to bring Keely home. Keely was baptized in November at United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Swiss Alp by Pastor Richards. In 1992, when Keely was 7, she and Karissa became big sisters together to Kami.
As a young girl, Keely participated in activities of Little League basketball and swim team. She learned to play the piano and played in church for special occasions. She was an acolyte, lector and attended Sunday school. She wanted to be a lector at such a young age that they had to get her a step-stool to reach the microphone. Starting in second grade all the way through high school, Keely attended summer church camp at Lutherhill in La Grange. In college, she was a camp counselor and lifeguard there.
At Schulenburg High School, Keely was a cheerleader, she played volleyball and ran cross country. Keely was in one-act play, on Student Council and editor of the high school yearbook. Keely was so excited when she made the cast of the one-act play, even though she had only one line. Her junior year in 2003, she won the Miss Schulenburg pageant and was crowned queen. That summer, she was elected to and attended Texas Girls State and her senior year she was voted homecoming queen. She was active in Young Life and attended camp in Colorado.
After high school, Keely attended Sam Houston State University; her decision was inspired by the great stories she heard from her big sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law. Keely initially pursued a major in journalism but again, was influenced by Karissa and switched her major to education. At the beginning of her freshman year, Keely went through sorority rush and pledged Alpha Delta Pi. Keely quickly moved in the sorority house with others of pledge class 2008. Keely became very involved with ADPi, starting with serving as chair of Standards & Ethics and then in her senior year was elected president. In 2008, Keely graduated from Sam Houston State University with her bachelor of science in education and started her first year of teaching at Flatonia Elementary in January 2009.
In 2010, Keely met her future husband Jeff. Their relationship began as friends, but it quickly moved into a relationship. After a few years of bliss, Jeff took the ultimate step and proposed to Keely in Austin on the top of Mount Bonnell. The date was set for Oct. 12, 2013. Keely loved the fall and this time of year. The wedding was at Swiss Alp with a reception in Ammannsville.
A short while later, Jeff and Keely were excited to share the news that they were expecting their first child with a due date of December 2014. Hagan decided to come a little early and entered the world on Nov. 18, 2014. After a short NICU stay, they got to bring him home in time for Thanksgiving Day. Only two years later, they welcomed their second son, Hollis Cole Brower, on June 20, 2016.
As a happy family of four, they spent their weekends on the lake or river-riding on Jeff’s boat. They would also enjoy a weekend afternoon stroll on a backroad in the Jeep. Just over a month ago, on Labor Day weekend, they rode in the Jeep to the St. Mary’s High Hill church picnic. Keely always loved a good picnic plate for lunch on Sunday. They recently purchased an RV. The negotiations were if Keely didn’t get an RV, she was going to enter Hollis in the Little Mister Czhilispiel pageant so Jeff would have to spend his Saturdays at parades. It was decided that pulling an RV was easier than pulling a parade float. Keely and the boys spent their summers together at Splashway waterpark.
Keely had worked as a teacher at Flatonia ISD and Schulenburg ISD. Keely was an exceptional writer and an expert in English/language arts.
Keely loved to cheer and spent several years as cheer coach and attending summer cheer camps. Just a few months ago, Keely won the Best of Fayette County award for Best Elementary Teacher.
As an adult, Keely was actively involved in her church, teaching Sunday school and being a member of the women’s group. Keely loved to run; she enjoyed her Folk Wellness family and competed in Dri-Tris and various races.
Keely’s personality was contagious – she was always the life of the party and was never known to have a bad time. She loved to play any kind of game, board games, card games, dance-offs, rap-offs and dominoes. Often, when the room would get quiet, Keely would say “let’s all play” or “let’s all guess” and everyone knew to grab a drink because they would be there for a while playing her game. The games didn’t end there – she also loved karaoke. Two of her favorites included “Fancy” by Reba McEntire and “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. Her performances would always end with her cheer high kick.
Keely truly embodied the phrase “live life to the fullest.” She loved being a mother to Hagan and Hollis and a wife to Jeff. She loved her entire family deeply. She was quick to be there to comfort anyone in times of sorrow and bring positivity to any situation. Keely’s outlook on life and her faith were transparent. People could see it through her actions, her love, her smile and her laugh.
Keely gave endless love in all her endeavors and unconditional love to her family. Her husband Jeff states: “In my whole life, I’ve never heard anyone say, ‘I like Keely’ – it was always an enthusiastic ‘I love Keely.’” “Keely Beth, WE LOVE YOU.“ PAID