Elizabeth Ann Brower

Elizabeth Ann Brower, 71, of Stafford County, VA, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on Tuesday, July 8th, 2025.
The oldest child of Robert E. Schmedake and Ina L. McCleary, Ann spent her early years in Wilmington, DEL. In 1964, Ann, along with her brother and two sisters, moved to Hurley, NY, where she graduated from high school in 1971.
She met and later married Gary Brower and had planned to celebrate their 53 years of marriage in October. She spent considerable time painting pottery in her early years of marriage. Ann loved to travel and got plenty of opportunities as Gary spent 20 years in the US Army. She lived in Hawaii, California, Germany, New Jersey, Washington DC, Alaska and finally Virginia. While in Germany she participated in as many volksmarches as could possibly fit into her schedule.
Ann was the consummate soccer and swim mom following her children across the state and the entire East Coast for several years. As the children grew older, she found her true passion of rocking premature babies in the intensive care unit of Mary Washington Hospital.
Ann was a passionate animal lover. Regardless of where she lived, there was always a dog or two, as well as a cat or two, wandering around the home. She was a frequent donor to animal rights causes. Ann was also an avid cook and baker. She immensely enjoyed making the dishes everyone loved from scratch. At any given time, there were more cookbooks in her home than in most libraries.
Ann was a loving wife, proud mother and grandmother as well as a wonderful sister and caring daughter. Her departure has left an immeasurable void in our hearts, but her legacy of love, compassion and service will live on through the countless lives she touched.
Survivors include her husband, Gary Brower; children Nicole Alden, Matthew Brower, Meghan Brown, and Michael Brower; grandchild Harper Brower; siblings Karen Schiff and Barbara Bithell; and mother Ina Schmedake. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert E. Schmedake and siblings Robert A. Schmedake and Richard Schmedake.
A service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Covenant Funeral Service, Stafford. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home chapel. Interment will follow in Quantico National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Cause 4 Paws, (P.O. Box 301, Locust Grove, VA 22508) or Stafford SPCA (140 Andrew Chapel Road Stafford, VA 22554)