David N. Brutger

David N. Brutger of St. Cloud, just shy of his 76th birthday died at his home Sunday, July 9th surrounded by his family.  Due to his strong Catholic faith and positive zest for life he lived with and fought Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer for seven years.

Mass of Christian Burial celebrating his life will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 13, 2006 at St. Mary’s Cathedral Upper Church in St. Cloud.  Reverend Steven Binsfeld will officiate. Private interment will take place in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.   Military honors will be provided by the St. Cloud VFW Granite Post #428.

Friends may call between 4:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday and after 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud.  The St. Cloud VFW Granite Post #428 will pray at 6:30 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

David was born on July 18, 1930 in St. Cloud, Minnesota to Matt and Josephine (Diedrich) Brutger.  He married Jeanette “Nette” Seep on October 2, 1954 at St. Boniface Church in Melrose.  He graduated from St. Cloud Technical High School in 1948. He was a lifetime member of St. Cloud VFW Granite Post #428.  He was drafted and served in the US Army from 1949 to 1952, and was stationed in Germany. David was a carpenter (master craftsman) for Dan J. Brutger Companies, Inc. until his retirement in 1980.  He was a member of St. Mary’s Cathedral.

In his early days he loved dancing (expert at the jitter bug), playing cards, raising his family, enjoying many summers at Pearl Lake (water skied on his 65th birthday).  In his retirement, he continued on keeping busy yet learned to slow down and relax by fishing, gardening, working on projects in his workshop (he said his last project would be to “build a stairway to heaven” for all of us), telling stories, teaching his grandchildren the game of poker (with grandma’s help) and traveling with his twin brother to China, Paris, Egypt, and Greece.  At the end, he had an extreme love and passion to feed all the birds and squirrels that made a home in his yard.

Survivors include his loving and dedicated wife of 51 years, Jeanette; children; Sandra Glass-Lenertz (Tom) of Fargo, ND, Catherine Brutger (Joe Ruprecht) of Annandale, Karin Ziebol (Joe) of St. Joseph, Judy Winter (Tom “Gus”) of St. Cloud, Jane Henkel (Tom) of Luxemburg, and Scott Brutger of St. Cloud.  

His legacy continues with his 16 grandchildren, Stephanie, Tyler, Andrew, and Nicholas Glass, Stacie Braun (Mark), Heather Ergen (Scott), Angela Curtis (Casey), Brent and Brian Ziebol, Holly and Alex Winter, Jordan, Taylar, McCall and David Henkel and Taylor Olson.  Two step-grandchildren, Rory and Tara Lenertz and three great-grandchildren, Kali, Alec and Adam Braun.

Also survived by his twin brother, Daniel (Elizabeth) of St. Cloud and sister, Mathilda (Dale) Eckerson of Sommerset, CA.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers and sisters, Arthur, Cyril, Bertha, Sybilla, Rita, and Richard.

Pallbearers will be David’s grandsons.  Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers.

His twin brother, Dan, dedicated a private park in his honor.
The bronze plaque reads as follows:

                        Park David
                  A Private Park Honoring
                      David N. Brutger
            brother, husband, father, grandfather,
           philosopher, humorist, master craftsman