David H. Brenner

David H. Brenner, 85, of 1194 South Park Avenue, died Monday, May 24, 2010, at his home. He was born October 25, 1924, in Fond du Lac, the son of Theodore Paul and Gladys Rogge Brenner, Sr. David graduated from Fond du Lac Senior High School in June of 1942, and received his Bachelors of Business Administration Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in January of 1950. At the university, he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and Scabbard & Blade honorary military society. He also studied for a year at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. He served with the US Army Air Corps as a meteorological cadet. David served 44 months in the US Army Air Corps from January 1942 until August of 1946, ending up in the 5th Air Force in Japan. He received a ROTC Commission while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He then served 24 years in the US Air Force Reserve, retiring in 1972 as a Lieutenant Colonel with the 440th Troop Carrier Wing in Milwaukee. He was an active member of Bohlman-Grimes VFW Post 1904, and a former member of Trier-Puddy American Legion Post #75.On March 9, 1955, he married Helen Elizabeth Mueller at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Princeton, WI. David started working for the then Jacob Brenner Company in Fond du Lac in January of 1950. He was in the heating and air conditioning department, and later when the company name was changed to Brenner Tank, Inc. became the Regional Sales Manager for 10 U.S. Western states, British Columbia, and Alberta, Canada. During that time, he was President of Brenner Tank, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board at Brenner Tank, which had nine manufacturing operations and a corporate finance operation, and royalty arrangements in Australia. After college, he traveled extensively in the US, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, North Africa, Iceland, and throughout Europe. While at Brenner Tank, he was the company representative for the Dairy Equipment Manufacturer Association and the National Tank Truck Manufacturers Association. He retired in February of 1990 at which time he worked for Brenner Tank as Regional Sales Manager for the Inter Mountain area of Idaho, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. He fully retired in June of 2004, after 55 years of service at Brenner Tank. David was a member of Pilgrim United Church of Christ, and was head of the building committee that erected a major addition to the now Pilgrim United Church, and built the bell tower with the Carillon Chimes that came from the old Plymouth Congregational Church at the corners of Sheboygan and Marr Streets in Fond du Lac. He was also a past member of the church council at Pilgrim United Church of Christ. David enjoyed spending time at his cottage on Green Lake, swimming, and being in his boat. He also enjoyed deer hunting in the North woods of Wisconsin, Pheasant hunting in the Dakotas, and attending many Green Bay Packer games. He traveled with his family to most of the Western states in the U.S. and Eastern provinces of Canada in the early 1970's. Later he traveled to Hawaii several times, and to Australia and Alaska with his daughter. He was a member of the Morning Boys Coffee Group at Pump N Pantry. David and his daughter, Gail, recently visited the WW II Memorial at Washington, DC via the Old Glory Honor flight.David is survived by his wife of 55 years, Helen, a son, Mark H. (girl friend, Renee Nimetz) Brenner of Oshkosh, two daughters, Susan E. (boyfriend Scott Romig) Brenner of Scottsdale, AZ, and Gail A. Brenner of Fond du Lac, and grandson, Brett Michael Bartell of Scottsdale, AZ. He is further survived by two brothers, John (Tina) Brenner of Fond du Lac, and Theodore P. (Pat) Brenner, Jr. of Marinette, WI, three brothers-in-law, Dr. Gus (Sara) Mueller of Green Lake, Dr. Robert (Marion) Mueller of Chapel Hill, NC, and Dr. Robert Shapiro of Onalaska, WI, many nieces and nephews and friends. His parents, his mother and father-in-law, and a sister, Barbara Shapiro preceded him in death.



Visitation for David H. Brenner will be on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, from 4 to 8 PM at Uecker-Witt Funeral Home, and on Thursday, May 27th, from 10 to 11 AM at Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 535 Stow Street, Fond du Lac. Funeral services will be at 11 AM at the church on Thursday. The Rev. Ted Drewsen will officiate and cremation will follow the services. Inurnment of cremated remains will be at a later date in the Shrine of Rest Mausoleum. The family requests that memorials be directed to Pilgrim United Church of Christ or VFW Post #1904.The family would like to give a special thanks for thekindnesses shown to our Dad by Amy, Becky, and Kim, his nurses whotook care of him during his last days.