Daily Sitka Sentinel

Herbert Brander

Former Resident

Herbert Brandner

Dies at Age 102

Herbert “Herb” J. Brandner, a former Sitka resident, died Nov. 12, 2015, at Aspirus Nursing and Rehab in Medford, Wis., surrounded by his loving family.

He was 102.

Herb was born on May 20, 1913, in Whittlesey, Wis., the son of Carl and Kunigunde (Lizner) Brandner. He attended Whittlesey Primary School, and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and U.W.-Madison.

On Feb. 22, 1941, in Wisconsin, Herb married the love of his life, Elinora H. Frey.

In 1954, Herb moved his family to Bellingham, Wash., where he started his career as an electrician. They moved to Ketchikan in 1957 and came to Sitka in 1959, where they lived for 31 years, until Herb retired from Alaska Lumber & Pulp.

After his retirement, the Brandners moved back to Bellingham, where they bought a motorhome and traveled all over the U.S., Canada and Mexico with their family and Alaskan friends, returning summers to Medford.

When they stopped traveling in 1999, they moved to Phoenix,  living there until 2009 when they returned to Medford and settled at Country Gardens.

Herb was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Medford, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Whittlesey, The Knights of Columbus, and IBEW. He was a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge.

Herb was known as a jack of all trades and master of most, since he was always tinkering with things in his shop and could be counted on to have one project or another going.

He enjoyed reading and spending time with his family and friends, and loved to travel.

When he returned to Medford, Herb would volunteer at the Medford Area Schools, where he would share his stories with the kids about his travels.

Herb is survived by his beloved wife, Elinora H. Brandner, of Medford; his son, Dale (Charmaine) Brandner of Whitmore Lake, Mich.; brothers Raymond Brandner of Medford, and Rock Brandner of Milwaukee; sisters Rosemary (Bob) Werner of Whittlesey and Anna Packenham of Rib Lake, Wis.; sisters-in-law Barbara Brandner and Rita Brandner both of Medford; and too many nieces and nephews to count.

Services were scheduled today at  Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Medford with military honors performed by the Medford Klossner-Dietzler VFW Post 5729 Honors Team, and Father Phil Juza officiating.

Cremainal inurnment will take place at a later date in Medford Evergreen I Cemetery in Medford.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Herb’s name to the Holy Rosary Catholic School in Medford.

For online condolences, friends may visit hemerfuneralservice.com.