Gayle Brueggeman

Gayle Lynn Brown Brueggeman passed away on to an even greater life on June 28, 2016. Gayle was born July 29, 1949 in Whitefish, MT to Deane and Elsie Brown. She and her older brother, Calvin, lived on their ranch that joined the Canadian border 10 miles from Eureka, MT. After the construction of the Libby Dam their ranch would become part of Lake Koocanusa. This prompted their family to move their ranch to Niarada, MT in 1959. Gayle attended Battle Butte Elementary School in Niarada, a one room schoolhouse with eight children. She often rode her horse to school. In 1967 she graduated from Polson High School and later graduated from Denver Women’s College in 1968. She was an avid participant in 4-H, rodeos, and horse shows.
Gayle married Mike Brueggeman in Polson on August 9, 1969. Over the course of their marriage, they lived in San Diego, Niarada, Spokane, and Polson before divorcing in 1992. Mike and Gayle had two sons, Ryan Paul Brueggeman and Kyle Evan Brueggeman. Both her sons and her granddaughter, Lauren Skye Walker were the light of her life.
Gayle met her true partner in life, Tom Tope in 1995. Together they enjoyed numerous outdoor activities such as canoeing, horseback trips into the Bob Marshall, hunting, camping, and shooting sporting clays. Gayle and Tom loved to travel together and spent time in Canada, Mexico, sailing the Caribbean Islands, exploring the Yukon Territories and visiting many U.S. states.
Gayle’s passion was tending to her flowers and garden. She took great pride in her home overlooking the beautiful Mission Mountains and Flathead Lake.
Gayle worked as a Sales Director for 14 years. Upon returning to Polson she took the position of the Executive Director of the Polson Chamber of Commerce and served on the Board of Directors for Montana’s Glacier Country Tourism Commission as well as their Financial Commission Board. She obtained her real estate license in 1992 and went on to become a broker and open her own real estate business. Gayle enjoyed and respected her clients and often became close friends with them even after their transactions were complete. It was the people she worked with that made her love real estate and her career.
Gayle was preceded in death by her father, Deane Brown and her partner, Tom Tope.
She is survived by her mother Elsie Brown (Jim Jensen), her brother Calvin Brown (Lesli), sons Ryan Brueggeman (Jen Clancy) and Kyle Brueggeman (Gabrielle Green), and her granddaughter Lauren Skye. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and extraordinary friends.
Services will be held at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Polson on July 8, 2016 at 11:00 am. A reception at the church will follow the burial. Lunch will be served and guests will have the opportunity to share thoughts and memories at that time.
Memorial donations can be made to the Polson Life Savers Animal Rescue program or the Lake County Home Options hospice care.