ST. CLAIR A light has gone out among us with the passing of Florence Elizabeth (Brox) Brenner, who died February 2, 2006 in St. Clair, Michigan with her children by her bedside. She was just turning 87. Florence was a great mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. We will miss her. She was born on March 9, 1919 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada to a Mennonite couple Henry Brox and Dorothy Oppertshauser Brox. Her Mennonite background would serve her well during the Depression of 1929 and years of gardening, canning and self sufficiency. Named after Florence Nightingale, the British nurse who dedicated her life to caring for the sick and war wounded, Florence was always ready and willing to help those in need. In 1928, nine year old Florence and her family moved to Melvindale, Michigan when her father, a skilled cast iron worker accepted a job to help build Model T cars at the Ford Motor Company. They lived with a distant aunt until her father purchased a lot and built a house about three miles from his work. At the time, she could only speak German. Florence attended Daesher Elementary School in Melvindale where she learned English and settled in as a new immigrant American. She attended and graduated from Melvindale High School in 1937. After graduation, she worked for several attorneys in the Penobscot Building in Detroit. When she became overly stressed worrying about the mothers and children in divorce proceedings, her father made her quit this $10 a week job. She went to work in a local C.J. Smith grocery store where they shopped. Florence loved this job, and her math skills and love for people made her a popular employee. Here she earned $12 a week. In 1939 she met her future husband, Chuck Brenner. They married in February 1940 and moved to Detroit. They were together for 58 years until Chuck died in 1998. During their long marriage, they gave the world seven children who in turn produced over two dozen grandchildren and over two dozen great-grandchildren. Chuck, Florence and their kids moved to St. Clair County in 1953. After a year renting a farmhouse at the corner of Division (now Fred Moore Hwy) and Mitchell (now Wadhams Road), they bought 40 acres on Trumble Road and built a house. In 1975, they bought another 40 acres on Allington Road and moved from Trumble Road to a new custom-built house. Here they lived until 1998. During her life, Florence worked as a
secretary, grocery store clerk, school bus driver, school cafeteria employee, grocery store manager, Girl Scout leader and even mailing clerk at the St. Clair County Press. Florence loved tennis, gardening, crocheting, quilting, cooking, baking and children of all ages. She is most remembered as a loving and wonderful mother and grandmother. Of over 200 photos that were displayed at her life graduation celebration at Immanuel Lutheran Church following burial, many photos showed her holding babies and young children. She was born as WWI was ending, and she lived through WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf War. During her 87 years, she saw the U.S. Postage Stamp go from .01 to .39 and income taxes go from 2% to their present high level. She lived during the administrations of 16 presidents and saw the introduction of hundreds of new innovations, including television, the copy machine, instant cameras, digital cameras, computers, fluorescent lights and the automatic dishwasher. She is survived by seven children, Dr. Rev. Donald (Judy) Brenner of San Diego, Retired Lieutenant Commander, Robert (Carol) Brenner of San Diego, Jack Brenner of Wadhams, Tom (Janyce) Brenner of St. Clair, Susan (Joe) Hohman of Smiths Creek, Richard (Tracy) Brenner of St. Clair and Barbara (John) Jowett of St. Clair; 28 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a grandson, Joey Hohman. Florence will be fondly remembered as a person who cared. She was honest, she was devoted to her family, and she was a loving member of our community. A devout Christian she is now enjoying eternal life with her husband, Chuck. We are all better off because she lived among us. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Clair and her remains will be buried next to Chuck at Hillside Cemetery. Visiting hours are 6 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Young Colonial Chapel Funeral Home, China Twp. and Monday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the church.