John B. Brenner

John Bartlett Brenner passed away peacefully at his home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on Friday, February 13, 2015.John was born in December of 1922, in Fond du Lac, to the late Theodore and Peg Brenner. He graduated from Fond du Lac Senior High School in 1941, and then attended Stout Institute in Menomonee, Wisconsin before enlisting in the war effort December 5, 1942. He served as a Corporal in the Army Air Force based in Ipswich, England. He was Honorably Discharged in 1945.John married Florentine Treuschel on March 31, 1951, and they celebrated 63 years of marriage together. Together they raised a loving family. In retirement, they enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends at the family “shack.”John joined his father and two brothers in the sheet metal and furnace manufacturing business, the Jacob Brenner Company. In 1956, they branched out into manufacturing stainless steel bulk milk pickup tanks which grew into Brenner Tank. He was involved in the manufacturing side of the business his entire career and professed that providing a quality product was a requirement of a successful business, and one of Brenner Tank’s goals. He was proud that Brenner Tank was a supporter of the Fond du Lac community. He retired from an active role in 1986, and continued to be on the Board of Directors until the company was sold in 2001. In his retirement, John continued to get up every day at 7:00 and went to work in his home office, watching business news and investing in the market economy, up until the day he passed away. He believed in the American Dream.John’s family includes children: Stephen Brenner and his wife Dana of Granbury, Texas; Katharine Brenner of Elm Grove, Wisconsin; and Christine Draxler and her husband Frank of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Dad was blessed with six grandchildren: Paige Brenner Largent, husband Bryan, Amy Colla, Benjamin Colla, Clark Draxler, wife Danielle, Cortney Draxler, and Elliot Draxler, along with three great-grandchildren: Owen, Ethan and Shane, which completed his family.He is also survived by his brother, Ted and his wife Pat, along with his brother-in-law, Robert Shapiro, and many nieces and nephews.Dad is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Tina, his sister, Barbara, his brother, David and his wife, Helen, his sister-in-law, Marilyn and brother-in-law, Roy Treadwell, and their son Jeff Treadwell. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 27, 2015, at Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory, 31 East Division Street, Fond du Lac, with Rev. Michael Morning officiating.The family will greet relatives and friends on Friday at Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Entombment will follow in Rienzi Cemetery Mausoleum.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project in memory of John Brenner.

John B. Brenner

December 17, 1922 - February 13, 2015