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Ramona Garcia Bruggeman
06/15/1936 — 08/13/2003
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Cambridge, Minnesota
Ramona Garcia Bruggeman
Ramona Garcia Bruggeman
At the young age of 67, our wonderful mom, wife, nana, sister, aunt, and friend, Ramona Miller Garcia Bruggeman died at Kadlec Hospital. Her son Tim held her right hand and her daughter Debbie held her left, while other family members remained near. Our hearts are simply broken; if it weren't for her sure passage to her Lord in Heaven, the grief and sorrow we are feeling would be nearly unbearable.
Ramona, known as Punkie to her two older brothers, was born in Cambridge, Minnesota on June 15, 1936 to Jacob J. and Esther E. Anderson Miller. She spent the first eight years of her childhood ice skating and watching her two older brothers, Gordon J. Jack and Harold J., play hockey on frozen Minnesota lakes. In 1942, Ramona accompanied her mom and brother Harold to Richland, where her dad had secured work as a patrolman at Hanford and had been able to acquire an F house at 1513 Mahan for his family. Although Ramona found Richland to be a wonderful place to live, she always cherished her extended family and the memories of her ties to Minnesota.
Ramona attended Richland's old Sacajawea Elementary, Carmichael Junior High, and Columbia High School, graduating a proud Bomber in 1954. On 6-25-55, at the age of 19, Ramona married Harvey Andrew H.A. Montgomery. To this marriage two children were born. Timothy John Montgomery blessed his parents with his arrival on April 22, 1958, followed by his little sister, Deborah Jean Montgomery Bell on February 9, 1960. She always reminded us that ''having you kids was the best thing I ever did in my life.'' During her marriage to H.A., Ramona was a secretary first at Richland Baptist Church and later at the First Baptist Church of Richland.
On August 21, 1971, Ramona wed Ivan M.A. Garcia at their new home on Camas. The years Ramona spent with Ivan until his death in January of 1996, were abundant in all things good. We all share many loving memories of The King and Queen of Camas. With this marriage, Ramona gained stepsons Michael and Ricardo, and stepdaughters Francine and Laura. During her marriage to Ivan, Ramona flourished professionally. Ivan inspired confidence in his wife. With her innate ability to build strong relationships, her well-honed skills, and her intelligence, Ramona worked her way to become a top executive secretary at Battelle. When Jerry Finnigan left Battelle and moved to the Joint Center for Graduate Study, Ramona followed. She retired as the Dean's Administrative Assistant at Washington State University Tri-Cities 1996.
Ramona wanted a grandchild more than anything. She sent little hand-crocheted booties by mail to her daughter's house hint, hint years before her one and only, precious grandson was born. On September 9, 1994, Ramona first held her newborn grandson, McCade Montgomery Bell. She always told him he was her reason for living; how she loved her ''yellow-headed boy and couldn't wait to see him and kiss his sweet knees.''
In the spring of 1999, Ramona was reacquainted with a high school classmate, Larry Bruggeman. They celebrated a beautiful wedding in the Baptist Church in Leavenworth on November 20, 1999. They have enjoyed their three years of companionship together and their families have enjoyed unity and friendship. As a family, we are sincerely appreciative of the love that Larry brought to our mother and family.
Ramona was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Harold and his wives Betty and Martha, and her former husband Ivan. She has left a legacy of love in her husband Larry Bruggeman, her children Tim Teresa Montgomery, and Debbie Norm Bell, her brother Jack Miller Trudy, and her one-and-only grandchild, McCade Bell. She also leaves behind nephews ''Jackie''Lisa and niece Leslie, nephew Klaus Louise, niece Marilyn Doug and loving extended family members in Minnesota. Ramona also would consider in her heart many of her childrens' friends, her co-workers, and her neighbors as her family. Rest in peace you sweet, sweet person; we will miss you until we see you again.
Graveside services will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Richland, at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, August 19th, 2003. A reception will immediately follow at 2351 Camas, Richland. Please feel free to join Ramona's family and friends at both the service and the reception.
We would like to extend our sympathies to the family of Ramona Bruggeman, especially to Tim and Teresa Montgomery in the time of their grief. Be at ease that your Mother is now at peace with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May God bless you all at this time.
Larry and family of Ramona. I am so sorry to hear that Ramona has graduated to heaven what a wonderful place to be. I have known her since high school 1954 classmateand remember all the good times when we all attended the First Baptist Church in Richland throughout our teen years. We even had a few chances to show our talent when we sang specials at church. God bless you all at this time when you remember her life. We will be in Seattle and will not be able to attend the service.
I was fortunate enough to meet Ramona when Debbie and Norm took all of us to Europe in the summer of 2001. Ramona, a gracious and patriotic lady, wanted to make sure all of us travelers remembered the 4th of July. She approached me in Pisa and asked me if I would sing the Star-Spangled Banner, since I had such a “good voice”, in her kind words. After I assured her that my musical voice would be no fitting tribute, we all worked together to line up some of our group with good voices to do an a capella rendering of the national anthem. Paul Chartrand was the lead singer. We had a terrific 4th of July celebration in the summer of 2001 in Rothenberg, Germany. It all came about because Ramona wanted to pay tribute to our country and to Norm & Debbie for making our trip to Europe possible. It remains one of my most memorable 4th of July celebrations ever and it is indeed fitting that a great person like Ramona would have been the instigator of this touching occurrence.
James Wilson
Larry, Debbie and Tim, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Ramona was a very special friend since early childhood when we grew up in Minnesota. We called her Monie. My dad would always take us swimming after work in the summertime and he always said “Go get Monie too”
She had a special place in her heart for my Dad. She will be very much missed.
Larry, My condolances and prayers for you and your family.
“For those who have been faithful, O Lord, life is not ended, but merely changed; and when this earthly abode dissolves, an eternal dwelling place awaits them in heaven.”
God bless you.
Larry, Tim and Debbie,That was a nice memorial service. God is good no matter what the circumstances of our lives are telling us. I like Rom. 8:28. All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We don’t always see what His purposes are but we can trust in Him to bring about His plan for our lives. I wish I could have known her longer. She seemed to be a very caring person.
My sincere sympathies go out to Ramona’s family. Ramona was a wonderful mother and a very special lady. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.
Kathy Coppinger
We share many wonderful memories of Ramona. She was a wonderful colleague at WSU TC, she really made us feel welcome when we moved to this community and was certainly a gracious hostess and seemed to always enjoy opening her home up for those special occasions.
We also remember Ramona as one of the most loyal and loving mothers. Her children and her grandchild were blessed to have a mother/grandmother who loved them so much.
Ramona was a good friend and we shall miss her very much.
Dear Larry, Debbie, and Tim,
I was shocked to read of Ramona’s death. She was a fantastic lady, and I share your sorrow. I will not be able to attend her services, but my thoughts and prayers will be with all of you.
God Bless,
Cleta Morrison
My thoughts and prayers are with the family. I spent many hours at the Camas house hanging out with Tim. I remember Ramona always there with a smile, supporting and loving her children. I will always remember Ramona having a smile on her face….always!
I will miss you…thank’s for the visit when you came to Reno.
We’ll see each other soon, if I’m lucky.
To Ramona’s family, I was so sad and shocked to read of Ramona’s passing in the newspaper. I grew up at 1510 Mahan, right across the street from the Miller family. I was 5 years old when Ramona and Harvey were married at the First Baptist church, I was proud to have been thier flower girl. I even still have the little dress that I wore that day in the ceremony. My parents were always so fond of the whole Miller family. Please take comfort in the fact that your mother knew her Lord and savior. God bless you all
I have many wonderful memories of Ramona. She always treated me as if I were a member of her family. Remembering the trips to Leavenworth, staying at my aunt Jannies, going to Mexico with her and Deb and two 14 year olds who were going on 21 and all the wonderful parties and dinners at her and Ivans Camas home. Christmas always brought a card and letter signed Love Mom. Nothing but good memories!! Sis Wentworth
My family and I remember Ramona with fond memories. We just lived a block and a half from her and attended the 1st Baptist Church together. While we grieve her passing we know that to be “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” My prayers are with you in your time of grief. I will e-mail my mother and inform her of Ramona’s homegoing she still lives at 1304 Birch in Richland.
C.B. Stack
Federal Way, WA
Tim and Deb,
I was so sorry to hear about your Mom’s death. She was a great lady who loved all of us during the hardest years of our lives — our adolescence. I’ll never forget how she embraced all of us and took us into her home no matter how we’d messed up. She provided safe havens for us to learn to grow, make mistakes, and start over. I loved that about her.
The last time I spoke with her on the phone was after Ivan died, and she and I had a wonderful time, reminiscing and talking about what a wonderful man he was. I can’t believe that just this short time later, she’s gone. I’m sure you’ll both miss her terribly.
I don’t even need to tell you both how much she loved the two of you — you know that already. She was always proud of you and bragged about how great you were. It made the rest of us know that you were tops in her eyes and none of us would ever measure up.
I can remember the twinkle in her eyes and how that grew even brighter to see all of us happy — when she saw her family together.
My prayers and thoughts are with you. All my love,
Annie
We would like to extend our sympathies to the family of Ramona Bruggeman, especially to Tim and Teresa Montgomery in the time of their grief. Be at ease that your Mother is now at peace with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May God bless you all at this time.
Larry and family of Ramona. I am so sorry to hear that Ramona has graduated to heaven what a wonderful place to be. I have known her since high school 1954 classmateand remember all the good times when we all attended the First Baptist Church in Richland throughout our teen years. We even had a few chances to show our talent when we sang specials at church. God bless you all at this time when you remember her life. We will be in Seattle and will not be able to attend the service.
I was fortunate enough to meet Ramona when Debbie and Norm took all of us to Europe in the summer of 2001. Ramona, a gracious and patriotic lady, wanted to make sure all of us travelers remembered the 4th of July. She approached me in Pisa and asked me if I would sing the Star-Spangled Banner, since I had such a “good voice”, in her kind words. After I assured her that my musical voice would be no fitting tribute, we all worked together to line up some of our group with good voices to do an a capella rendering of the national anthem. Paul Chartrand was the lead singer. We had a terrific 4th of July celebration in the summer of 2001 in Rothenberg, Germany. It all came about because Ramona wanted to pay tribute to our country and to Norm & Debbie for making our trip to Europe possible. It remains one of my most memorable 4th of July celebrations ever and it is indeed fitting that a great person like Ramona would have been the instigator of this touching occurrence.
James Wilson
Larry, Debbie and Tim, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Ramona was a very special friend since early childhood when we grew up in Minnesota. We called her Monie. My dad would always take us swimming after work in the summertime and he always said “Go get Monie too”
She had a special place in her heart for my Dad. She will be very much missed.
Larry, My condolances and prayers for you and your family.
“For those who have been faithful, O Lord, life is not ended, but merely changed; and when this earthly abode dissolves, an eternal dwelling place awaits them in heaven.”
God bless you.
Larry, Tim and Debbie,That was a nice memorial service. God is good no matter what the circumstances of our lives are telling us. I like Rom. 8:28. All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We don’t always see what His purposes are but we can trust in Him to bring about His plan for our lives. I wish I could have known her longer. She seemed to be a very caring person.
My sincere sympathies go out to Ramona’s family. Ramona was a wonderful mother and a very special lady. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.
Kathy Coppinger
We share many wonderful memories of Ramona. She was a wonderful colleague at WSU TC, she really made us feel welcome when we moved to this community and was certainly a gracious hostess and seemed to always enjoy opening her home up for those special occasions.
We also remember Ramona as one of the most loyal and loving mothers. Her children and her grandchild were blessed to have a mother/grandmother who loved them so much.
Ramona was a good friend and we shall miss her very much.
Dear Larry, Debbie, and Tim,
I was shocked to read of Ramona’s death. She was a fantastic lady, and I share your sorrow. I will not be able to attend her services, but my thoughts and prayers will be with all of you.
God Bless,
Cleta Morrison
My thoughts and prayers are with the family. I spent many hours at the Camas house hanging out with Tim. I remember Ramona always there with a smile, supporting and loving her children. I will always remember Ramona having a smile on her face….always!
I will miss you…thank’s for the visit when you came to Reno.
We’ll see each other soon, if I’m lucky.
To Ramona’s family, I was so sad and shocked to read of Ramona’s passing in the newspaper. I grew up at 1510 Mahan, right across the street from the Miller family. I was 5 years old when Ramona and Harvey were married at the First Baptist church, I was proud to have been thier flower girl. I even still have the little dress that I wore that day in the ceremony. My parents were always so fond of the whole Miller family. Please take comfort in the fact that your mother knew her Lord and savior. God bless you all
I have many wonderful memories of Ramona. She always treated me as if I were a member of her family. Remembering the trips to Leavenworth, staying at my aunt Jannies, going to Mexico with her and Deb and two 14 year olds who were going on 21 and all the wonderful parties and dinners at her and Ivans Camas home. Christmas always brought a card and letter signed Love Mom. Nothing but good memories!! Sis Wentworth
My family and I remember Ramona with fond memories. We just lived a block and a half from her and attended the 1st Baptist Church together. While we grieve her passing we know that to be “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” My prayers are with you in your time of grief. I will e-mail my mother and inform her of Ramona’s homegoing she still lives at 1304 Birch in Richland.
C.B. Stack
Federal Way, WA
Tim and Deb,
I was so sorry to hear about your Mom’s death. She was a great lady who loved all of us during the hardest years of our lives — our adolescence. I’ll never forget how she embraced all of us and took us into her home no matter how we’d messed up. She provided safe havens for us to learn to grow, make mistakes, and start over. I loved that about her.
The last time I spoke with her on the phone was after Ivan died, and she and I had a wonderful time, reminiscing and talking about what a wonderful man he was. I can’t believe that just this short time later, she’s gone. I’m sure you’ll both miss her terribly.
I don’t even need to tell you both how much she loved the two of you — you know that already. She was always proud of you and bragged about how great you were. It made the rest of us know that you were tops in her eyes and none of us would ever measure up.
I can remember the twinkle in her eyes and how that grew even brighter to see all of us happy — when she saw her family together.
My prayers and thoughts are with you. All my love,
Annie
My deepest sympathy to Larry and your family. I was only able to see Ramona at our reunions and enjoyed those times. She was a lovely person and will be missed by so many. I am so very sorry.
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Ramona Garcia Bruggeman