Benedict T. “Dick” Bronder, Sartell, 99

January 4, 1915 - July 17, 2014

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, July 22, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Sartell for Benedict T. “Dick” Bronder, 99, of Sartell, who died Thursday, July 17. The Reverend Timothy Baltes will officiate. Burial with Military Honors, will be in the Parish Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 PM on Monday, and from 10:00-11:00 AM on Tuesday, at the gathering space in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Sartell. Parish Prayers will be at 7:00 PM at the church on Monday.

Dick was born on January 4, 1915, in Foley to John and Martha (Zawacki) Bronder. Dick graduated from Foley High School in 1933. As a teenager, Dick worked in two Civilian Conservation Corps camps (Deer River and Chaska) to help support the family farm. He married Mary M. Peschl on December 30, 1944, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Minden Township, Benton County, Minnesota. Dick was in the US Navy from 1942-1948, serving in the Mediterranean, the Pacific Theater, and was in Borneo at the end of World War II. During that time, he was proud to have served Mass for Archbishop Spellman. He was one of the last two remaining members of the original crew of PT Boat 305. Dick later attended Dunwoody Institute for baking and cake decorating.

Dick was a man with many interests, such as bee-keeping, wine-making, gardening, travelling, baking wedding cakes, and woodworking. Well into his 90’s Dick could be seen visiting the sick and the elderly at the hospital and area nursing homes. He was a life member of the Foley American Legion Post #298, the Central Minnesota Bee Keeping Association, and St. Francis Xavier Parish.

Dick is survived by: wife Mary; daughters Joyce (Bruce) Bartels of Annandale, Julie (Dan) Hall of Annandale; grandchildren, Melissa (Keith) Blom of Sartell, Cory (Dan) Davis of Albertville, Chris Hennen of Wasilla, AK, Matt (Kelli) Bronder and Alex (Lindsay) Bronder of Annandale; 6 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by: his parents; son James, in 1964; brothers and sisters, Appolonia Dumonceaux, Della Rajkowski, Augusta Kitzmiller, Mary Doon, Martha Bronder, John, Paul, and Dorothy Bronder.

Memorials are preferred to the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, and to Poor Clares Monastery.

Special thanks to Dick and Mary’s neighbors, the caring staff at Champion Recovery and Country Manor, the St. Croix Hospice team, and Reverend Tim Baltes.