HOME AT LAST: My father, Richard Kurt Bergner, born 8 June 1924 in Riderau, Germany died today, on Sunday, 30 March 2014 of natural causes in Brookfield, Wisconsin. In 1950 he married my mother, Jinette Madeleine Roux Bergner (one of the sweetest women in the world), who preceded him in death twenty-two years ago. Together, they had six children, sixteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grand children. He was known for his ability to fix anything and creating beautiful wooden treasures, which he gave as gifts to those he loved. For forty years he operated Richard Bergner’s Import Car Service, where in addition to automobiles he also cared for a multitude of Red Geraniums in the waiting area. He was known for doing comical and curious things, such as reading only Volume Z of the 1974 World Book Encyclopedia, naming his last three dogs Zu-Zu and tasting a decorative Ginger Bread House that was meant for display only, not consumption. During the 1975-76 school year, my father availed his business to my choir from Brookfield East High School so that we could offer car-washes to raise funds for our participation in the International Musical Festival for young people in Vienna, Austria. Many of my classmates fondly remember him calling them ‘mein liebchen or ‘schlumpy’, depending on how he evaluated their work ethic. In 1993, he married again to Edith Knapp Bergner and together they shared twenty-one prosaic years. All his children are followers of Jesus Christ and are grateful that he knew Jesus as his Savior, thanks to the faithful preaching of the Gospel at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church (10025 W. North Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53226-2501). A memorial service will be offered at 3pm at the church on Tuesday, 9 April, where his grandchildren and great-grandchildren will pay tribute to him. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall immediately thereafter. This pencil drawing portrait of my father was created by my sister, Karen Brennan.
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 03:49:47 +0000
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