Stanley Walter Brenke

Stanley Brenke, age 81, of Savage MN, passed away on October 17, 2025.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 11:00 AM with Visitation from 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM at St. Michael Catholic Church, 16400 Duluth Avenue SE, Prior Lake. Father Tom Walker will preside. Stanley will be laid to rest at St. Michael Catholic Cemetery.

Stanley W. Brenke was born May 10, 1944. Stan was probably one of luckiest men in the world. He married his high school sweetheart Julie over 60 years ago on June 9, 1965. He started working with Chicago Northwestern Railroad at 20 years old. He worked with them through the transition to Union Pacific Railroad and retired after over 41 years as a Manager of Communications and Signal. Stan was an amazing Brother, Uncle, Friend, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Golfer and Bridge Player.

He is survived by his wife Julie; children Jen Irlmeier (Scott), David Brenke (Katie); and grandchildren Jacob Brenke, Sully Brenke, Joshua Irlmeier, Tyler Irlmeier, Emerson Brenke, Samantha Irlmeier, and Hannah Brenke.

Stan didn’t need to say much. There were lessons in his silent strength and calmness. He showed you what mattered by the way he lived and loved. He worked hard, not for praise but for his family. He stood by his work and kept his promises. If he said he was going to do something, he did it. And did it well. Even when he was busy or tired, he made time. Now that he’s gone, we can see the blueprint he left behind. Not in instructions, but in example. We will walk through life with his voice in our heads. And just like in life, when we don’t know what to do, we’ll ask him what he would have done.

Our Dad may not have been the most expressive person, but you always knew you were loved. He really loved his grandchildren-in his eyes they could do NO wrong and he would never change a thing about any one of them. They are just perfect. Our Dad’s laugh was infectious. Even while he was sleeping, he would laugh out loud. It was the best sound. He didn’t make grand declarations and wasn’t one for big emotions or dramatic words. He demonstrated his love with a quick hug, a phone call or text, and by showing up at your game, choir concert or dance recital. He especially loved attending any event for his grandchildren and watching them learn through both success and failure. He was very proud of every single one of them and was never afraid to say it-he loved bragging about them. Dad was a steady hand in a shaky world. We always knew he had our back and gave us his full support. We will carry his steadiness with us in how we love others and how we show up.

There are no words to express all the warm and loving memories of our dad, but we’ll try to share a few:

Throughout our childhood, some of the fondest memories are of Dad & Dave working on projects, like building backyard decks in our homes in Hoffman Estates or Apple Valley. Like Dad, they were strong and built to withstand any storm or bad weather. They were built with love and attention to detail.

Dad loved golfing for as long as I can remember. If you were ever on a golf course with Stan and you were lucky enough to outdrive him, he would look at you and tell you that it was the second shot that counts.

There is not enough space for us to express what a great man our dad was, but if you’re here, then you knew him and you knew what an amazing person he was.

Dad, we will miss you more than words can say. Thank you for your love, laughter and never-ending support. We know you will always watch over us, and we know that you loved us all. We hope you are breathing easier now. We will carry you with us. Always.