By HDN Staff
HARLEM Doris Emily Brekke, 88, a descendent of America's first settlers in Massachusetts, died of natural causes in her home in Harlem on Friday, Oct. 19, 2001.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Harlem Evangelical Church of North America.
Doris was born July 20, 1913, at Little Jewell south of Turner to Frank Monroe Allen and Frances Violet Southam/Sotham. In 1912, her father came west from Crary, N.D., and filed on a homestead north of Little Jewell Spring. Her mother, heavy with child, followed west in the spring of 1913. Doris was brought into the world by Laura Hickel. Her parents ran a store and post office on the homestead at Little Jewell. Her mother was a school teacher. Doris was placed in the home of Libby Liese in Harlem so she could attend high school. She graduated in 1931.
Doris met Knute Charles "KC" Brekke at a church social and they were married in 1932. Their wedding day was highlighted by a solar eclipse. Their first home, built by Knute, would later become part of the ECNA Church of Harlem. Her life was dedicated to raising her many children and to serving the church. Picking up children and taking them to Sunday school and summer Bible school was the center of her life. Doris and Knute were charter members of the ECNA Church of Harlem.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Knute "KC" Brekke; sons, George Alfred Brekke and Harold Lee Brekke; daughter, Alice Louise Wittaker of Ravensdale, Wash.; brothers, Lee Allen of Lebanon, Ore., and Fred Allen of Havre.
Survivors include her children, Charles Brekke of Harlem, George "Skrud" Brekke of Harlem, Frances Brekke of Havre, Alan Brekke of Harlem, Robert "Bruce" Brekke of Lafayette, La., Richard Brekke of Harlem, Donna Cronk of Harlem; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home in Chinook.
