Surnames: Bremmer, Stoetzel, Coile, Brownell, Flynn, Cook, Pearson

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood County, Wis.) Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Bremmer, Francis James (30 April 1929 - 19 Feb. 2007)

Francis J. Bremmer

Francis James Bremmer, 77, of 907 W. Blodgett St., died on Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, at his home with his family at his side. He was under the care of Ministry Home Care Hospice Services.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007, at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church, with the Rev. Charles D. Stoetzel.

Burial will take place following the church service at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Relatives will be serving as pallbearers. Members of the United States Air Force Honors Team based in Grand Forks, N. D. will conduct military rites at the cemetery.

Visitations will be 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday at Rembs/Kundinger Funeral Home and again from 9:30 a.m. until service time Thursday at the church.

There will be a combined rosary service with the Parish and Knights of Columbus at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Francis was born April 30, 1929, on the family farm located in Chili to Louis Charles Bremmer and Anna Agnes (Welch) Bremmer. Welch, Schlagenhaft, Denesha,

Francis spent his early school years at St. John's Catholic School in Marshfield. He later attended Milwaukee Area Technical College, College of the Air Force as well as Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. As a young man he played Little League ball, participated in Golden Glove boxing and high school and Air Force football. At the tender age of 17 he entered the Army Air Corps, finishing boot camp at Scott AFB, Ill. In 1947 Francis received his orders to Germany where he assisted in the reconstruction and clean-up after WWII. Other assignments included Chanute AFB, Ill., 1951 to 1956; Munich, Germany, 1957 to 1959; Sheppard AFB, Texas, 1959 to 1961; Holy Cross College, Worcester Mass., 1961 to 1965; Philippines, 1965 to 1966; Otis AFB, Cape Cod, Mass., 1966 to 1969; Pleiku AFB, Viet Nam, 1969 to 1970; Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, S.D., 1970 to 1973; Kunson AFB, Korea, 1973 to 1974; and Barksdale AFB, La., where he retired in 1974 as a senior master sergeant after 28 years of service.

During his military career he was awarded many commendations including the Bronze Star.

After military retirement in 1974, Francis taught for more than 18 years at Churchill High School, located in Livonia, Mich. There he was able to put his 28 years of invaluable military experience to use in the Junior ROTC program. While there he organized youth Color Guard for the Detroit Tiger baseball games, assisted with extra curriculum school events and coached girl's softball.

He married Dorothy Delores Schlagenhaft April 7, 1951, at St. John's Catholic Church in Marshfield. Dorothy and Francis raised seven children together. While their children were growing up, Francis was involved with school activities as well as coaching and umpired Little League baseball for those years his sons played. When living in Westland, Mich., he headed the Catholic Worship Commission for their parish and shared duties with Dorothy as parish wedding coordinators. Francis was a member of the American Legion Post 54, Knights of Columbus, D.A.V.A., and the V.F.W. Post 1866, all of Marshfield.

Francis and Dorothy enjoyed many hobbies together including golf, the theater, bowling, travel and socializing with family and friends. Dorothy remained his loving partner for 55 years and was by his side to the very end. God gave this man a soft heart toward stray animals, the ability to tell a joke invariably putting a smile on the faces of his fellow man and the ease to cry when he was touched by someone else's pain or loss. He will be greatly missed by all.

Survivors include his wife Dorothy of 55 years; his seven children, Diane Denesha of Cape Cod, Mass.; Thomas Bremmer of Marshfield; Terrance Bremmer (Suzy) of Indianapolis, Ind.; Colleen (Paul) Coile of Dunnellon, Fla.; Pamela (Michael) Brownell of Casper, Wyo.; La Vern (Linda) Bremmer of Dexter, Mich.; and Cheryl (Tim) Flynn of Farmington, Mich.; nine grandchildren, Elizabeth, Jennifer Denesha Cook, Jaime, Katie Sala Pearson, John, Francis, Celeste, Ann Marie and Samantha.

He was preceded in death by his father, Louis Charles Bremmer (1971), mother, Anna Agnes (Welch) Bremmer (1978) and a brother Louis Roman Bremmer (1978).

In lieu of flowers, memorials are to be sent to St. John The Baptist Scholarship Fund for Marshfield Area Catholic School students.

Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com