Pastor John F. Brenner

Pastor John F. Brenner John Frederick Brenner, the only son of Pastor John W.O. Brenner and his wife, Anna F. (Raether), was born on August 10, 1917, in Milwaukee Wisconsin, and was called home to heaven on Friday, October 7, 2011 in Bay City, Michigan at Brian's House. John was baptized by his father on August 22, 1917, and confirmed in the faith on May 22, 1932. He attended elementary school at St. John Lutheran School, enrolled in 1932 in the preparatory department of Northwestern College in Watertown, Wisconsin, and graduated from the college in 1940. Pastor Brenner finished his formal training for the pastoral ministry at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Thiensville, Wisconsin in 1943. Since there were not enough pastoral calls for the graduates during the World War II years, Pastor Brenner taught in the one-room classroom at Calvary Lutheran School, Thiensville from the fall of 1943 until April of 1944. At that time he received and accepted his first call into the pastoral ministry. During his forty-seven years as a Lutheran pastor, he was privileged to serve congregations in Hillrose, Colorado (Trinity, 1944-1946), Pewaukee, Wisconsin (Christ, 1946-1949), Battle Creek, Michigan (St. John, 1949-1953) and Bay City, Michigan (St. John, 1953-1990.) After his retirement from the public ministry he became a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Saginaw. Pastor Brenner also served in various capacities on both the synodical and district levels in the WELS. One of the great joys of his ministry was serving as a supervisor in the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary vicar program from 1970-1985. Fifteen seminarians spent their vicar year with him at St. John in Bay City. On August 29, 1945, John married Ruth H. Frey, daughter of Pastor Immanuel P. and Elizabeth H. (Janz) Frey, in Denver, Colorado. Ruth faithfully served as his helpmeet through more than 56 years of marriage, until she passed away on December 21, 2001. Together John and Ruth loved to open their home to young pastors and their families, offering them support, friendship and mentoring. They both were grateful for God's blessings through service to the church, and freely encouraged both those serving in the ministry and those preparing for service. Their marriage was blessed with four children: Ann (Raymond) Arnold, Brown Deer, Wisconsin; Deborah Priebe, Bay City, Michigan; Prof. John M. (Patricia) Brenner, Mequon, Wisconsin; Barbara (Pastor Marcus) Manthey, Saginaw, Michigan; nine grandchildren: Pastor Matthew (Elisabeth) Arnold, Oconto Falls, Wisconsin; Laura Biesterfeld, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Sarah (John) Heathcock, Racine, Wisconsin, Michael (Lisa) Priebe, Saginaw, Michigan; Benjamin (Natalie) Priebe, West Melbourne, Florida; Jessica (Daniel) Hill, Saginaw, Michigan; Katie (Mathew) Visaggio, North Fort Myers, Florida; Mollie Priebe, Bay City, Michigan; Nathanael Brenner, Mequon Wisconsin; and fourteen great-grandchildren: Christian, Noah, Peter and Emma Arnold; Micah, Jacob and Grace Biesterfeld; Lauren and Julia Heathcock; Logan Priebe; Arabella Priebe; Silas and Adelaide Hill; and Laura Visaggio. A fifteenth grandchild, Baby Boy Priebe, is expected in January 2012. Pastor Brenner is also survived by a number of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth (2001); his parents, Pastor John (1962) and Anna (1979) Brenner; his sister, Dorothy Brenner (1989); his son-in-law, David Priebe (2009); and numerous sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Visitation will take place at Gephart Funeral Home on Midland Street in Bay City on Thursday, October 13, from 7-9 p.m. and on Friday, October 14, from 2-9 p.m., as well as at the church an hour prior to the funeral service. The Funeral and Rite of Committal will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at St. John Lutheran Church, Mountain and Jane Streets in Bay City. Officiating will be Pastor William Brassow and Pastor Carl Otto of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Saginaw with private interment in Oak Ridge Cemetery In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: the Michigan Lutheran Seminary Foundation to establish a scholarship or grant in memory of Pastor John and Ruth Brenner for students continuing in preparation for the public ministry; to the St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Saginaw) Ministerial Education Endowment Fund, or to the St. John Lutheran Church (Bay City) Ministerial Student Trust Fund. The family wishes to thank those that cared for John at Luther Manor in Saginaw this past year and at Brian's House in Bay City the last two days of his earthly life. We rejoice that our father, grandfather and great-grandfather is safe at home with our Savior and we joyfully await the blessed reunion in heaven! "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21