Zola Brammer-Schwarzer

Zola Mae (Nofsger) Brammer Schwarzer, 87, of Saratoga, California, died Tuesday, Sep 29, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California.

Zola Nofsger was born on May 7, 1922, at Dawson, Nebraska, the daughter of Louis W. Nofsger and Pearl Alma (Sietz) Nofsger. She was raised in the Honey Creek community in southeast Nebraska north of Sabetha, Kansas and attended Honey Creek Union schools, graduating in 1939.

On February 23, 1941, she was married to Harold E. Brammer at Bethany church south of Dawson. They made their home on the Nofsger farm and engaged in farming and livestock for thirty years. They were blessed with one son, Louis Stephen Brammer. They moved to Sabetha in 1970. Harold died August 8, 1972.

Zola taught school in rural Nebraska (one room school house buildings) for ten years. She taught for 15 years at the Sabetha, Kansas Unified District # 441. She received her B.S. at Peru College, Nebraska and her Masters Degree at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.

On July 9, 1983, Zola married Carl Schwarzer (a widower) at Wesleyan Church in Sabetha where she was a member. They made their home on the Schwarzer farm near Muscotah, Kansas. Carl had two sons, Kent and Dennis, and one foster daughter, Sharman (Yazel) Heineken. Carl died January 10, 1987.

Zola moved to Mountain View, California, in 1988 where she raised roses and tutored special needs children at the First Baptist Church school in Los Altos. Her son and daughter-in-law, Margaret Brammer, assisted her in the transition. Her 1978 Pontiac Bonneville served her well except for the challenge of navigating the California freeways! She quickly learned it was best for her and "old Bonnie" to stay on the city streets at 25 MPH.

Her last trip to Sabetha, Kansas was for a family reunion in July 2002, after which she moved to the Saratoga Retirement Community in Saratoga, California.

Zola was preceded in death by her sisters, Gladys Layson and Wilma Beer, who both died in 2002.

She is survived by her son, Steve Brammer and wife Margaret of Lincoln, California; three grandchildren Scott Brammer and wife Lori, Tracy (Brammer) Simonton and husband Mark, and Kevin Brammer and wife Shawn all of California; six great-grand children; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 10:30 AM at the Popkess Mortuary, Sabetha, Kansas. A family visitation will be Monday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at Popkess Mortuary in Sabetha. Interment will be in the Sabetha Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Wesleyan church and sent in care of the funeral home.