JULY 21, 1949 – AUGUST 9, 2023
Mina Ehrlich Brouillette, 74, passed away on August 9, 2023, at her home after a lengthy battle with cancer.
She was born July 21, 1949, in Yokohama, Japan to Colonel Karl Fredrick and Margaret Daughtridge Ehrlich.
After she moved to Fort Collins, she married Jack Brouillette in 1981. Mina received her bachelor's degree in history from Meredith College, NC and a master's degree in occupational therapy from Colorado State University. She was employed with Children's Therapy Services at Poudre Valley Hospital for 23 years. After she retired in 2012, she and Jack volunteered as puppy raisers with Canine Partners of the Rockies (CPR), Aurora, CO. They raised five service dogs for physically disabled Colorado residents.
Early on, CPR identified one of her puppies, Rosie, as being of superior physical and temperamental quality. CPR decided that rather than continuing her training as a service dog, she should be used as a breeder. Rosie whelped 24 pups, most of whom have become fully trained service dogs. Rosie is well-regarded among service dog organizations across the country. In 2019 she was retired and given to us. For eight years, Mina found it very self-satisfying to witness how the dogs have helped the disabled live more independent lives, lives that most of us take for granted. Mina spent her entire adult life helping others, especially the disadvantaged, first as an occupational therapist and later as a puppy raiser.
Mina was an avid traveler worldwide, enjoying the beauty of nature and the diversity of people and their cultures. She began her journey in Japan where her father was a dental surgeon in the Army. Later she traveled around the world on Semester-at-Sea, a college study-abroad program, with Jack, who taught sociology classes. Always looking for new, exciting things to do, when she was 57, she took up scuba diving and dove throughout the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. Two of her most enjoyable experiences were small oar-powered raft trips with Jack down the Grand Canyon, and yes, it was exciting!
Mina was preceded in death by her father, mother, and sister, Margaret. She is survived by her husband, Jack, her son, Mark, her stepdaughter, Mary Beth Green, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life service will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home, 8426 US-287, Fort Collins, August 22, 2023, at 2:00 pm. Mina's ashes will be spread beneath a Ponderosa pine tree at Better Place Forests (BPF) north of Flagstaff, AZ. BPF offers trees and nature as an alternative to cemeteries. https:/(www.betterplaceforests.com
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Canine Partners of the Rockies. https://cpotr.org Because it costs upwards of $50,000 to train a service dog, donations can be designated specifically for scholarships for disabled people who would otherwise be unable to afford a service dog.
Memories of Mina and words of condolences for her family are welcome at www.resthavencolorado.com.
