Eleanor S. Bren, 95, Dickinson, died Sunday, August 11, 2013 at her home. Eleanor’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Friday, August 16, 2013 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Todd Kreitinger as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Dickinson. Visitation will be on Thursday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service, with Deacon Bob Stockert presiding.
Eleanor Knopik was born on the family farm southeast of Manning to Mike and Mary (Tandecki) Knopik, on February 20, 1918. She attended the country school near their home, then attended Model High School in Dickinson, graduating in 1936. She took the teacher’s exam and taught at Libby Butte school, in the home district near New Hradec. The second year she taught in Willmen District near New Hradec. During her second year of teaching, she married Frank Bren on October 23, 1937.
Frank and Eleanor moved into a home in Dickinson, where they lived out their lives, except for two years that they spent in Seattle, Wash., where Frank was working for Boeings and Seattle-Tacoma Shipyards. Her husband died on May 20, 1988.
She enjoyed traveling, playing cards, dancing, gardening, and reading, she especially enjoyed visiting her family and friends. Eleanor did volunteer work, helping with cards and Bingo, which she liked to play. She was a very devoted Catholic, praying the Rosary daily. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters, and St. Patrick’s Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Frank; her parents; infant son, Donnie; son, Patrick; three sons-in-law, Leo Digliano, Fred Feuerbacher III, and Dale Luhman; six brothers and three sisters-in-law, Sebastian (infancy), John (Magdalene), Martin (Betty), Fr. Thomas Knopik; Stephan, and Hubert (Mary); one sister and brother-in-law, Antonia (Pete) Polensky; and one step-great-grandson.
Eleanor is survived by eight children, Robert (Sharon) Bren, Commerce City, Colo., Mary Ann (Stan) Fischer, Laurel, Mont., Richard (Maryanne) Bren, Beaverton, Ore., Kathy (Roger Luce) Digliano, Las Vegas, Nev., Elizabeth (Rick Conradi) Feuerbacher, Columbus, Mont., Leonard (Wendy) Bren, Commerce City, Colo., Thomas Bren, Dickinson, and Tammy Luhman, Gladstone; daughter-in-law, Jan Bren, Loveland, Colo.; sister, Frances (Jerry) Meduna, Manning; sister-in-law, Genevieve Franchuk, Dickinson; 21 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to Heartland Hospice of Dickinson.
