Christina "Chris" M. (Muilenburg) Browning

A small private family graveside service for Chris at the Palo Alto Cemetery is being planned for later this month.

Memorials to Hospice of the Midwest may be left at the funeral home. If you are mailing the memorial to the funeral home, please add, Attn: Browning Family on the envelope.

Christina M. “Chris”, the daughter of William and Carrie (Ten Hagen) Muilenburg, was born on August 6, 1928 in Pella, Iowa. One of three daughters and the only surviving daughter, she grew up in Pella, with her mother.  Her dad died when she was only 10 years old.  While in high school, she enjoyed being a drum majorette.  After graduating from high school in 1946, she later met her future husband, George Browning, in Pella when he flew into town with a friend.  Two years later, on October 4, 1948, they were united in marriage in a small civil service.  They lived in Pella until they moved to Newton in 1951 so George could be closer to work.

They bought a camping trailer and spent many years in camping clubs, meeting new friends, and seeing the country.  Later in her life, she worked at Younkers for 23+ years until she retired.  She enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, and counted cross-stitch as hobbies.  She also loved to bake pies, cakes, and cookies.  Chris was very proud of her Dutch heritage and made many trips to Pella over the years to see her friends at class reunions.  She enjoyed being with her family, and when her daughter came to visit with one of her purebred Shaded Silver American Shorthair cats, she coined the phrase “little white dog” and it has become the mantra for her daughter and son-in-law. 

Chris died Wednesday, August 8, 2018 at the Accura Healthcare of Newton East in Newton. She was 90. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, George and her two sisters.

She is survived by her two children, Cynthia Rae (Bruce Bradshaw) Browning of Kansas City, Missouri; and Kevin Lee (Kim) Browning of Newton; two grandsons, Michael Preston Browning (fiancée Kaylin Dohman); and Mark Philip Browning (MaKenna Anderson) all of Newton, and six nieces and nephews.

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