Howard Horton Brenner, 86, A native of Fort Pierce, Howard Brenner, passed on to Heaven on June 19, 2014 in Mobile, Alabama. Howard graduated from Davidson College, North Carolina and then received a Masters of Science in Engineering from the University of Florida.
He married Harriet Williams of Fort Pierce while in the Army at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He served as a 1st Lieutenant during the Korean War. Following his tour of duty he worked for 30 years for ESSO (Exxon) in the United States, Greece and Belgium.
Upon retiring, he and his wife spent 4 years sailing their 40- foot Ketch, “Silas” from Annapolis, Maryland to the Caribbean, the Windward Islands, and on to Venezuela, South America and back before returning to Fort Pierce. They spent the next 21 years of their retirement living in Fort Pierce where he volunteered for the Fort Pierce Housing Authority City of Fort Pierce (HACFP) for 14 years.
The HACFP honored Howard for his contributions to the city in 2009 by naming their 511 Orange Avenue office building after him. Howard was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Fort Pierce Yacht Club, the Via de Christo Ministries, and a New Jersey Barbershop quartet. He was active in Presbyterian Church choirs throughout his life.
Howard was superseded in death by his father, Collis H. Brenner, his mother, Helen Jackson Brenner, and his sister, Dorothy Weaver Stowe of Vero Beach.
He leaves behind Harriet, his wife of 63 years; his brother, Edwin W. Brenner of Orlando; and six children: Jean Lynn (Jeanne) Johansen of Fort Pierce, Thomas Brenner of Northbrook, Illinois; Judy Whidbee of Wetumpka, Alabama; Timothy Brenner of Belleville, New Jersey, Howard (Hal) Brenner, Jr. of Poway, California; and Helen Cote of Central Valley, New York; along 15 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
There will be no funeral. Those wishing to make a donation in Howard’s memory are invited to consider the First Presbyterian Church, Wetumpka, Alabama or the charity of their choice.
Published in the TC Palm on June 25, 2014