Thalia Laurel Brougham

Thalia Laurel Devin Brougham, age 77, of Petaluma, California formerly of Seattle, passed away on March 4, 2003. She was born in Fresno, California, on October 1, 1925, to Ralph and Edna Devin. The beloved wife of Robert Brougham, she was the loving and caring mother of Kerry Brougham of Washington, D.C., Mark Brougham of Forest Knolls, California, Devin Brougham of Ascot, England, and Robert Brougham, Jr. of Fairfax, California; grandchildren, Jessica, James, Lauren, Andrei, Phillip, Timothy, Jacob, Isabel and Eric; sisters, Shirley Tinsman, Florence Steele; brothers Roderick Devin, Morris Devin and Chaumont Devin. Thalia is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, relatives and a host of friends around the world.

In 1938 her father, Ralph M. Devin, founder of Bank & Office Equipment Co., left Seattle with his family for the Netherlands East Indies where they established a mission station on Ambon Island. They remained there until the onset of WWII when God mercifully provided the family a means of escape to Australia just days before the island was invaded. While en route to Brisbane from Darwin, a torpedo narrowly missed their military transport ship. A U.S. N...[more]

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hospital ship carried them from Brisbane to the U.S.

At war?s end, the family returned to Australia aboard the first commercial passenger-carrying ship. Rev. Devin, accorded priority clearance, proceeded to Ambon now in the new country of Indonesia, to reestablish their mission work and open a new Bible school. During this period of waiting for transport, Thalia met Bob, also from Seattle, a Navy pilot for the Admiral commanding forces in Australia/New Guinea. Completing her four year missionary calling in Ambon and Ternate, Thalia returned to Seattle with her family. Thalia and Bob were married in Emmanuel Tabernacle on December 30, 1949. In early 1950, her father located and financially assisted their organization in acquiring a 105-foot former Army rescue vessel that was designated for mission outreach in the Spice Islands. Bob was recruited as the captain of vessel named the ?M.V. Evangel?. The crew included, among others, Thalia, her father and brother Morris. The arduous voyage from Seattle began in mid-August and ended four-and-a-half months later in Jakarta, Indonesia where Thalia gave birth to their daughter Kerry 23 days after arrival. Morris assumed the responsibilities of captain while Bob was temporarily released to another mission society as pilot of their plane in East Borneo. Receiving notification Thalia?s father in Ambon had passed away unexpectedly, Bob, Thalia and Kerry returned to Ambon to resume operation of the Evangel until the mission opted to sell the vessel a few years later. Thalia, always enthusiastic and ebullient, rose to each and every occasion during these difficult months without fear or favor. Recruited into the Foreign Service, Bob, Thalia and family returned to serve together again in Indonesia. Later, the family served in Brazil, Washington, D.C., Thailand, Vietnam, Guam, and later in Nigeria where Bob was the Development Attache for sub-Sahara Africa.

Retiring from the Government in 1981, the couple traveled extensively in Europe and later moved to Singapore where Bob became Acting Director of Wycliffe Bible Translators for a six month period. Thalia related well to other peoples and cultures wherever she went. Fluent in the Indonesian and Dutch languages and knowledgeable about other languages in the countries of residence, she instructed Foreign Service officers in the Indonesian language. She studied Chinese brush painting and became proficient in this art. Wherever she lived, she was active in women?s affairs and in her church. She remained steadfast in her faith.

Her sight began to fail in 1963 but this did not deter her from living a full and well-rounded life. Totally blind the last eight years of her life, she nonetheless continued to carry out household responsibilities such as cooking, ironing, and cleaning remarkably well with never a word of complaint. Her self confidence never abated. She enjoyed playing her favorite hymns she loved so dearly on the piano. All who were touched by Thalia will miss her elegance, wit, beauty, artistry, wisdom, character and profound love. She now rests in God?s eternal care.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Monday morning at Emmanuel Bible Church located at 503 N. 50th St. at Dayton Avenue North, located at the southern border of Woodland Park. After the service, burial will take place at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery, 11111 Aurora Ave. North, Seattle. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Foundation Fighting Blindness, P.O. Box 17279, Baltimore, MD 21297-0495.