Francis "Frank" Leroy Brenneman

A celebration of life for Francis L. “Frank” Brenneman, 72, of Wellman, will be held Thursday, December 23, 2021, at 10:00 AM at the Kalona Mennonite Church. The service will be available via Livestream at the Beatty Peterseim Facebook page. Private family burial will follow at South Gingerich Cemetery. The family will greet friends on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at the Kalona Mennonite Church from 3 – 6 PM. A memorial fund has been established for BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse). Francis Brenneman died Friday, December 17, 2021, at the University of Iowa Hospital. The Beatty Peterseim Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Francis Leroy Brenneman was born June 18, 1949, the son of Leroy and Vilma (Bachman) Brenneman. He attended rural schools around Kalona and graduated from Iowa Mennonite School in 1968. Frank attended Kirkwood Community College in auto body repair and owned and operated an auto body shop in Kalona. Frank was an extremely gifted artist and owned an art gallery in Kalona. His art is displayed in many places, including Pleasantview Home and Kalona Mennonite Church. On December 12, 1973, he was united in marriage to Barb Bontrager at East Union Mennonite Church. The couple later divorced. Frank founded the Cedar Rapids Chapter of Bikers Against Child abuse. His granddaughters Erin and Avery were the joys of his life.

Survivors include his daughter Corrie (Sylvan) Schlabach; two granddaughters Erin and Avery Schlabach; three siblings: Faye (Dave) Slaubaugh of Iowa, Lynn (Ruth) Brenneman of Arkansas, Kevin (Wendi) Brenneman of Kansas, companion Kerstin Abramowski; one niece Alicia Berry, two nephews: Shawn Slaubaugh and Shane Campbell; four great-nieces: Audra, Ryn, Norah and Dia, and two great-nephews: Owen and Evan.

Preceding Frank in death were his parents Leroy and Vilma and great-nephews Jacob and Caden Berry.