Richard Brenneman

Richard D. Brenneman, age 96, of Bellefontaine, Ohio, peacefully passed on at Green Hills Community in West Liberty, Ohio surrounded by his family on the morning of May 8, 2014.

He was born in Rittman, Ohio October 9, 1917, to the late Willard M. and Cora Mae (Hoff) Brenneman. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Ellsworth, Paul and Willard Brenneman and five sisters, Doris Mae Brenneman, Wanda Haemmerle, Grace Thill, Margaret Williams and Mary Crawford.

Survivors include his wife of seventy one years, Martha Elizabeth Grossenbacher; daughters, Leigh Ann Condie (Angelo, deceased) of Asheville, North Carolina and Sandra Lynn (Ronald) Flanery of Clearwater, Florida; sons, Robert (Patti) Brenneman of Cincinnati, Ohio and William (Carmen) Brenneman of Urbana, Ohio; many nieces and nephews; seven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

Richard graduated from Rittman High School in 1935 and Newark Business School. He worked for one year in Corpus Christie, Texas, installing the then new dial telephone. He worked in Panama from 1940 to 1945 as a Pan American Airways traffic manager. He tried to enlist in the military during World War II, but was denied because he didn’t meet the weight requirement. He, Martha, and baby Leigh Ann, moved from Panama to Seville, Ohio in 1945 due to health concerns. He worked as a grain elevator manager for a total of thirty one years at the Farm Bureau Elevator Co-op in Sterling, Ohio, the West Salem Equity in West Salem, Ohio and Craig’s Coal Yard and Elevator in West Liberty, Ohio retiring in 1980.

He was member and Deacon Emeritus of the United Church of Christ in West Liberty, Ohio, a former member of the West Liberty Lion’s Club and the Elks Lodge.

Richard enjoyed traveling with his wife to Okinawa, the Philippines, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. They were snowbirds in Florida for twenty five winters. They enjoyed golfing, dancing, and especially times with family and friends.

His family thanks the nurses and care givers at Green Hills Community for their excellent care and loving support for the past two years plus.

Pastor Paul Forrey will officiate a private family memorial service and interment will be at the Fairview Cemetery in West Liberty.

The staff of the Eichholtz Funeral Home in Bellefontaine assisted the family with the arrangements.

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