Marianna Hollmer Brandt was born Oct. 12, 1942, in Crestone, Colo., to Harry Otto Hollmer and Mary "Toots" Tooker Hollmer. She grew up in that mountain community and went to school there until the local school closed. She then attended and graduated from Moffat High School, then attended Adams State College (now University), earning a degree in Elementary Education. She taught second grade for 36 years in the Pueblo public school system, retiring in 2001. Marianna cared deeply for each and every one of her students and never forgot any of them. She recently ran into a student she taught many years ago and, in the course of their conversation, found out that he had no pictures from his elementary years. She spent three days sifting through her pictures to find one of him to copy and send. Her children state that no matter where they went, there was always a former student who recognized and greeted her and she was never to busy to stop and visit with them.

After retirement, she and Claude spent 10 years working at Blue Mesa Ranch in Gunnison ... looking after campers and trolling for fish on the lake. Marianna became an expert at filleting salmon during those years. She became very adept at riding a 4 wheeler around the camp to check for compliance and to visit with and help out the summer people. During those years, she planted and cared for a beautiful wild flower garden.

Marianna passed from this life to the next one on May 3, 2024, at Parkview Hospital in Pueblo, Colo., surrounded by her family. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Claude Irven Brandt, one daughter Christine (Vince), four sons: Shawn (Pati), Marty (Missy), Matt (Nikki), and Shane (Corie); three step-sons: Mike (Antonette), Carl (Linda), and Doug together with six grandchildren, Shaylin (Joseph), Ty, Dillon, Bailey, Jasper, and Scarlett, two great-granddaughters: Olive and Emmy, six step-grandchildren, Laura, Julie (Brandon), Chris, Amy, Willie, and Alicia and one step-great-grandson, Alex. Also surviving are two brothers, Jim and Tom (Carol) Holmer, several nieces and nephews, and many friends.

Acts of service and food were Marianna's language of love. After Claude was diagnosed with diabetes, she made it her mission to learn all she could about the disease and to provide him with a diet that would enable him to live with the disease without having to go on insulin. Always generous, she shared food with family and neighbors and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone. She’d spend days canning you things like beans and jam. She’d cook everyone’s favorite food for the holidays and make extras just so you could have leftovers to take. If you told her you had a favorite food or drink she’d buy you so much of it. She would send her grand kids and great grand kids a card with a gift card in it for a treat like ice cream every holiday. One holiday we baked every pie we could think of just because we kept asking her to bake another one. She never had a dirty dish in her sink and would happily do your dishes while visiting. She would do anything for the ones she loved, even if it meant she went without. She was especially known for her dinner rolls and no one made lighter and more delicious rolls than she did. A friend dubbed her "the bread whisperer" as she could tell just by listening to the mixer from the other room whether you'd put enough flour in the dough. Her grandson, Jasper, declares that she was an angel food cake MASTER.

Marianna loved critters and pets were always part of the household - dogs, cats, chickens.

Marianna was always a nature lover. Fishing, hunting, hiking and camping with her are fondly remembered by all her children. Her son, Shawn, is especially proud of the fact that she taught him how to hunt, how to field dress his first deer, and how to butcher his game.

Services will be held May 11, 2024, at 1 p.m. at the POA Hall in Crestone, Colo., (68575 County Road T, Crestone, Colo.) with graveside services to follow at the Crestone cemetery.

Arrangements are in charge of Rogers Mortuary, 205 State Ave., Alamosa, CO 81101.