Doris Beulah Bremer

Doris Beulah Woodfin was born on May 4th, 1921, in Lawton, Oklahoma.  Her Mother was Beulah Bertha Boren Woodfin and her Dad was Robert Lewis Woodfin.   She had 2 older brothers.  Her brother Bryan was 13 years old when she was born, and her other brother, Debs was 11 years old.  Her mother said that she was an "afterthought."   Mother always laughed when she told us  that.  The following is a note that her brother wrote about her birth....

"My dear darling sister Doris, who I think is the most wonderful lady in all the world.  I love the memories of her as a baby girl.  She was a sweet and joyful little darling, and as she grew older, never did I know of her acting spoiled or selfish.  She was always a complete joy, and would do more than her share of bringing happiness to our family life.  I remember the day she was born. It was the most wonderful day of my life.  Our dear Dad gave me 4 dollar bills and told me to gather up all the kids that played around our house and barn.  He said to take them to at least 2 picture shows and 3 or 4 places to eat.  Keep them downtown for the whole afternoon and evening.  Be back home by 10 oclock.  Boy was I happy!!  We did all that, we ate about 4 times and went to 2 picture shows.  The shows were Wallace Reed in "Double Speed" and Tom Mix in "Excuse my Dust."   Late that night when we got home, I found that I had a new baby sister!  And even though we got home late, we still didn't get in trouble!  I'll always think of Doris B. Woodfin as the leading woman in both of those picture shows.

As time passed, she became more than a wonderful, loving sister, she became my very best friend.  She shared our life's hardships and always did her best to make our lives better.  I watched her doing this and I loved her more and more all the time.  She made our relationships and friendship so very very precious that I valued her as my most precious and valuable friend.   Having her for a sister was God's greatest gift to me.  I value her more than all things, even life, I really do. "

Doris' Dad's nickname was "Ludy" and her Mother, Beulah's nickname was "Budy". So they were Budy and Ludy.  Doris said that her Dad ran one of the cotton gins in Lawton, Oklahoma and her Mother was a housewife, like most women were in those days. Unfortunately, Doris's dad passed away when she was only 8 years old.  Doris's brothers helped support her and their mother.  They also rented some space in their house to bring in some extra money.  Doris graduated from high school in 1938, at the end of the depression.  She was the salutatorian at Lawton High School.  After graduation, Doris and her Mother moved to Dallas.   Doris's brother was living there and helped to support her and his Mother.

World War II began soon after that and Doris volunteered and worked as a nurse's aide in the local hospital.  Both brothers joined the forces and Doris took responsibility of caring for her Mother and she eventually got a job working for the Dallas City Manager. 

Lawrence Bush (L.B.) Easley was a part of the first American soldiers of World War II to land on European shores.  He was captured at the Rapido River Crossing and became a German Prisoner of War.   The day after Doris's birthday in 1945, peace was declared and the war was finally over. L.B. was liberated from the Germans and returned to his beloved country by way of France and England and a ship crossing the Atlantic.  L.B. arrived home to his family in Dallas in June, 1945.  Soon after, a friend introduced him to Doris and they married September 16, 1945. 

Together, they raised a family: two daughters, Julie and June Easley.  They moved from Dallas, to Colorado, to Minnesota, and finally back to Dallas.  They were so happy to be back in Dallas with their family.  L.B. and Doris worked many years with the Dallas Post Office.  

Quite a few years later they had 3 grandchildren, Wesley and Steven Wilke and Mary Gajewski.  L.B. became ill in the 80's and after a number of years of constant care he passed away in 1990.  She had lost the love of her life.

She spent the next 10 years spending time with her daughters and caring for her brothers.  She convinced one brother to go on a travel adventure with her.  During this adventure, Doris met a man named Jerry Bremer. He fell in love with her and they were married about a year later.  They spent the next 17 years traveling and enjoying each others' company.  During this time, she also got to enjoy her great grandchildren - Clara Ashmead, then Jackson Wilke, then Samuel Ashmead and then Lucy Wilke, who was born on Doris's 96th birthday!

Doris's daughters, Julie and June, recently found a card they had given Doris for Mother's day.  The card had a poem by Helen Steiner Rice called "A Mother's Love." 

 A Mother's love is something that no one can explain,                                                                                                                                     It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain,                                                                                                                                     It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may                                                                                                                               For nothing can destroy it or take that love away....                                                                                                                                         It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,                                                                                                                               And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking....                                                                                                                     It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,                                                                                                                     And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems....                                                                                                                       It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation,                                                                                                                                           And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation....                                                                                                                           A many splendored miracle man cannot understand                                                                                                                                     And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand.

When they signed the card, they said 

To the Mother who closest fits the definition "love" than any Mother in the world!"   As children, we didn't fully realize the meaning of a mother's love.  As time goes by, we really appreciate more and more all the things you've done for us.  We recognize kind acts and realize sacrifices.  Years go by before we know the depth of how much you have cared for us.  We understand because we look back and see through older eyes and wiser hearts.  This  is a reminder to you that we think you are the best of all mothers..... The one God has given us to love and cherish!  We love you up to the sky and down 1000 times and even more!