David Brenner, 96, passed away Wednesday, January 12, 2022. David was born in Massillon, Ohio on February 7, 1925 to Raymond and Elsie (Eckard) Brenner. David spent his early years working with his father and grandfather as a dairy farmer on the family farm in North Lawrence, Ohio. He graduated from Washington High School in Massillon as part of the 1943 class.
In 1949 David met the first love of his life, Josephine Bergner, when she travelled from Pratt, Kansas to Massillon to visit her Uncle Will Swanson. One day, her uncle took Josephine on a sightseeing trip around the Massillon area and they stopped to visit the Brenner dairy farm in North Lawrence. It was there that David met Josephine. David and Josephine went on to marry in Cairo, Kansas on Oct 1, 1950.
David continued working in the family dairy farming business but also studied at the University of Akron where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1966. Anxious to begin a career as a teacher, he received and accepted a job offer from the Hemet School District in California in 1967. He, Josephine and their three sons packed up the family pick-up truck and headed off to Hemet, California where David lived for the next 42 years. Over those years, he pursued varied interests, first as a math teacher at Hemet High School, then as a foreman at Skyline Manufactured Homes, and later as a financial consultant.
In 2001, David and Josephine moved back to Ohio and lived next to the old family farm. It was shortly thereafter that Josephine passed away unexpectedly and David was living alone for the first time in his life. Years later, he met the second love of his life, Shirley (Caddes) Resh, at the First United Methodist Church in Massillon. David and Shirley married in 2015 and shared many happy times over their years together.
David loved to watch sports, track the stock market, talk about his collection of model trains, and eat Shirley’s home-baked cookies. He loved to discuss the latest Ohio State, Indians or Browns games and was always interested in finding out what was happening in your neck of the woods. He enjoyed talking about politics, philosophy and debating life’s toughest questions.
David was a wonderful treasure to his family and those who knew him. He was blessed with many good friends through his school, farming and his church, and his family and friends were equally blessed to have had him in their lives. He will live forever in their hearts. Left to cherish David’s memory are his wife, Shirley; sons, Chris (Donna) Brenner, Stuart (Arlene) Brenner and Arin (Conni) Brenner; and grandchildren, Andrew, Reid and Baylie. His family and friends take comfort in knowing he is in the presence of his Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
David will be laid to rest at Greenlawn Cemetery in Pratt, Kansas. A celebration of David’s life will be held following the 10:30 AM church service at First United Methodist Church in Massillon, OH on Sunday, February 6, 2022. Family and friends are invited to share a meal and their memories of David. In lieu of flowers and in memory of David, donations can be made to First United Methodist Church (301 Lincoln Way East, Massillon, OH 44646) or to Aultman Hospice (221 Woodlawn Ave NW, Canton, OH 44708).
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