Margarete was born April 30, 1928, in Vienna, Austria, to Johann Pumm and Rosina Pumm nee Kleinschuster. The family survived the hardship of German annexation, from 1938 to 1947, and Four-Power-Allied occupation, from 1945 to 1955. Margarete’s future husband, Russell A. Brehm, from Harvard, Nebraska was assigned to US occupation forces in Vienna. They met through mutual acquaintances and married on November 26, 1949. They continued to live in Vienna until February of 1952, when Russell was assigned back to the US. After their return to America, they became world travelers, serving with the US Army until July 1966, and with the US Federal Civil Service from August 1967 to August 1987. These assignments enabled Margarete to live in Japan, Germany and six states in the US, with the final step in November 1978, into their one-and-only house in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In her own home, Margarete enjoyed the independence of home ownership and the opportunity to enjoy her hobby, ice dancing. The “good life” ended in April of 2014, due to age and accompanying disability, when Margarete and her husband, Russell moved into The Inn at Garden Plaza, an Independent Living Facility. In June of 2023, they moved to The Bridge Assisted Living Facility in Colorado Springs, where Margarete quietly passed away on December 8, 2023, with her husband of 74 years, by her side. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Services will be private.