Service Friday for Chet Brenner, 100, Hopkins veteran

Chester Dale “Chet” Brenner, 100, of Hopkins diedMonday, April 23, at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo.

Born July 27, 1917, in Hopkins (Monterey), he was the son of David and Hallie (Wheelock) Brenner and was the husband of the late Evelyn R. (Schwartz) Brenner, who preceded him in death on May 11, 2015. Chet grew up on the family farm and attended Pickle Street School.

In December 1941 he was called up to serve his country during World War II as a scout in the U.S. Army’s “Lucky 7th” Armored Division, Company B. The Lucky 7th spearheaded Patton’s 3rd Army. They formed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day and after four years overseas fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, at the Remagen Bridge and many places between, Chet returned home to the farm where he remained until moving to Briarwood three years ago.

He was excited to go on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. to see the war memorials on April 25, 2015. with his son-in-law.

Following their marriage on Oct. 22, 1949, he and Evelyn bought a 100-acre farm from his parents. After a series of unfortunate events, however, Chet decided to sell off his cattle and go to work for Perrigo, managing what came to be called “Chet’s Warehouse.” He stayed there for 13 years prior to retirement while also continuing to crop farm.

Chet and Evelyn were faithful lifetime members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hopkins where they had been married and both enjoyed sharing their many talents. Ice fishing and fishing trips to Canada with Evelyn and friends, playing Euchre, cracking homegrown English walnuts to give to family and friends, and spending time on his Farmall tractor were favorite pastimes of Chet even into his later years.

Mr. Brenner is survived by his children, Nancy (John) West, Janet Dell and Thomas (Kathy) Brenner; his grandchildren, Jamie Sue (Terry) Scott, April Brenner, Lee Dreyer (Gina Haynes) and Nate Dreyer; his great-grandchildren, Summer and Thomas; one sister-in-law, Glenda (Harlow) Schwartz; and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Brenner was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Evelyn; granddaughter, Jodie Housworth; his siblings and their spouses, Leah (Karl) Schwartz, Honor Geneese (Cleo) Woolf, Marvin (Ardith) Brenner and Keith (Lorraine) Brenner; and his parents. His brothers and sisters-in-law, Howard (June) Schwartz, Elwood (Eleanor) Schwartz and Harlow Schwartz also preceded him.

The family will receive friends at Gorden Funeral Residence, Hopkins Chapel, from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 26. A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Hopkins. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Southwest Michigan or St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.