In the natural progression of life, wise and seasoned individuals often grasp onto the diversities they’ve accumulated over the years, gradually assembling a colorful puzzle with bits and pieces of memories from their vast and expansive journey.

Musing collectors like 86-year-old Virginia Brummel relish the opportunity to fondly look back on days of old and reflect on the lessons they’ve learned and the relationships they’ve built.

Virginia has built quite a few relationships over the years, personal and business, as the former owner of Monarch Trophy, a company that assembles and sales trophies, which she operated with her husband, Henry.

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1923, Virginia led both a lively and invigorating childhood as the middle sibling of three kids. Growing up in a warm and loving home, her cheerful attitude and positive outlook on life prompted her to get involved in various clubs, partake in extracurricular activities and surround herself with a sundry group of peers.

Standing on a solid foundation and backed by kind and supportive parents, Virginia gradually matured into a confident adult, seeking adventure and treasures of the future.

“I had a pretty wonderful time when I was in my teens,” she recalls. “As a teenager I used to go bowling all the time. My mother saw to it that I regularly attended Sunday school and church services. I used to take the bus to go skating when I was just 17.

“I remember not feeling happy one day, and when I got home, my mom was sitting there and immediately said, ‘What’s up?’ I didn’t really know, but remember her hugging me right then and I can still feel it even now. I think about that moment all the time. I am so lucky to have had exceptional parents.”

At age 18, the active young lady met Henry while roller-skating with friends. She recalls that Henry and his friend Rocky decided to flip a coin in order to see who would have the chance to ask her out on a date. Although Rocky won the coin toss and dated Virginia for a short period, eventually, she and Henry coupled up and married after a one-year courtship.

The newlyweds resided in Grand Rapids for a time before going outside of Detroit to work together in a bomber plant. Although they were happy settling into their new life together, Henry made the courageous decision to join the Navy. Virginia’s dedication to the marriage led her to travel with Henry from location to location around the country. She occupied herself with an ever-changing list of jobs before eventually settling back into Grand Rapids when Henry was shipped abroad to participate in World War II.

“My husband would send me a lot of World War II memorabilia while he was overseas,” Virginia explains. “He was over in the Pacific and when he came back, we traveled all the way around Texas, went over to California, came back and decided that we wanted to live in Houston. We lived in Grand Rapids for quite a while, in fact, the biggest part of my life was spent there. We had all four of our children there and raised them for a good while there before we moved down to Houston.”

Henry and Virginia eventually started Monarch Trophy in Grand Rapids in 1965. The confident couple jumped at the idea when Virginia was asked to pay 5 cents per letter for engraving on trophies for her children. After paying the uncustomary engraving costs, Henry suggested they start their own business and the Brummels embarked on a specialized quest that spanned the rest of their lives together and beyond.

“When we first started they didn’t have a main trophy show but they’d showcase trophies in sports shows and every time they had one, we’d go there and buy parts and then build them,” Virginia says. “We started building them in the back of a building in Houston and still do.

“We put a lot of love and care into our trophies and one of the biggest things that set us apart was that we never charged for engraving. The time I had to pay for it, it cost a lot of money out of my husband’s pocket.”

The ambitious couple expanded their horizons, opening up a second Monarch Trophy shop in Houston and finally, a third in San Antonio. At or around the same time, Virginia’s keen interest in porcelain dolls led her down an additionally lucrative business path.

The enthusiastic go-getter started Monarch Collectibles as a sister company to Monarch Trophy. The collectibles shop sold one-of-a-kind porcelain dolls and the exquisite accessories that often accompanied them.

“People love dolls,” she says. “I like them very much myself and I always have. We used to order the dolls and the clothing and then assemble them at our shop in Houston. I used to travel to New York every year with my daughter to buy the dolls and she then started her own Monarch Collectibles shop in San Antonio.”

Located on N.W. Military Hwy, Monarch Collectibles was established by Virginia’s daughter, Sandra Bradley, in 1983. The shop not only sells dolls and related accessories but additionally hosts parties and gatherings for young ladies. Although somewhat different than Virginia’s doll shop, which closed in 2004, Bradley’s ideas and plans are largely inspired by her mother’s strong will, perseverance and positive outlook on life.

“My mother was always there to support me,” Bradley says. “She is a very strong woman who lives by her faith and closely follows her beliefs. She’s always been a very friendly and fun person who loves people and enjoys giving her time.”

After Henry died in the early 80s, Virginia moved to the Seguin/New Braunfels area to raise her granddaughter. After selling the Monarch Trophy store in Houston to her son in the early 90s, the location in San Antonio has additionally come under new ownership. Virginia also closed the Monarch Collectibles in Houston in 2004 in order to pursue a life of leisure and relaxation with her family.

In July 2007 she moved from her ranch in Seguin to San Antonio. She toured several retirement communities and decided that Independence Village at Stone Oak, a neighborhood for active adults, was the community for her.

She says, “I love plants and when I saw all the luscious landscaping and beautiful seasonal flowers, I knew this place was for me. Not to mention all the friends I have met and enjoy social activities with … especially poker!”

Handcrafting a life narrative full of accomplishments and enthusiasm, Virginia Brummel has come out proudly carrying a solid gold trophy made up of wisdom, enlightenment and the freedom that comes with looking back at the road traveled with a smile.