Sophia “Sophie” Brothern, 87, of Bagley and Bemidji, MN passed away peacefully Friday, March 1, 2019, at the Trillium Woods Edge in Bemidji, MN after suffering a stroke. Sophia battled dementia in the last decade of her life. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Bagley, MN. Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 6:00 p.m. at the Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Bagley and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at the Bagley City Cemetery in Bagley, MN. She was born on November 21, 1931 in Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada, to Annie and Nick Halus. She attended school in Fort Frances, and following graduation, she worked for a law office as a legal secretary to Judge Douglas McClennan for 10 years. She left to get married and moved to Wichita, KS where she attended Wichita State University. After returning to Minnesota, she raised four children with her husband, Hartman “Manny” Brothern, in Bagley. She worked for Local No. 49 in Bagley as a secretary for 22 years, until her retirement in 1996. Her retirement was spent traveling, dancing, reading and spending time with grandkids. Sophia loved all children. She spent 12 years serving in her daughter’s Kindergarten classroom as a foster grandparent at Bagley Elementary School. Sophia is survived by her children – Julie (Jayson) Melander of Bagley/Bemidji, MN Lance Brothern of Mora, MN Angela (Gerry) Eismann of Boise, Idaho Alex (Marit) Brothern of Stillwater, MN Brother-in-law – Nils (Annette) Anderson of International Falls, MN Sister – Mary (Jim) Kennedy of San Diego, CA Many beloved nieces and nephews Grandchildren – Kyle (Sherina) Melander of Bagley, MN Aaron (Nanda Sutrisno) of Minneapolis, MN Nick (Melissa) Melander of St. Petersburg, Florida Annie Eismann of Ashland, Oregon Owen Eismann of Boise, ID Kate Brothern of Minneapolis, MN Laura Brothern of Stillwater, MN Great grandchildren – Kaden, Brennen and Mila Melander (Kyle and Sherina) of Bagley, MN Sophie took great pride in being a mother and grandmother. She will be dearly missed and forever remembered. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Hartman in 2003 and her sister – Irene Anderson.