PETER JOSEPH BRENNER
July 6, 1959 - April 27, 2022
It Is with unmeasurable sorrow and disbelief to announce the passing of Peter Joseph Brenner. In his 63rd year, Peter passed over at Welland Hospital April 27, 2022 at 11:55 p.m. Predeceased by his father Mr. Paul John Brenner, his mother Mrs. Eula Lorraine Brenner (nee Hannigan) and eldest brother Mr. Jimmy Hannigan. Survived by his siblings, Mr. David Brenner (Mrs. Noreen Brenner), Ms. Phyllis Lorraine Brenner (Mr. Gerald Dash) Ms. Marie Anne Brenner, Mr. Daniel Brenner, Mr. John Brenner, his nieces and nephews. Mrs. Teresa Brenner (Mr. Mario Leduc) Ms. Emily Brenner, Mr. Matthew Brenner (Mrs. Holly Brenner), Mrs. Sarah Donovan ( Mr. Thomas James Donovan), Mr. Jarrod Brenner, and his great nieces and nephews Mr. William Wooldridge, Mr. Michael Fullerton, Mr. Cedric Michael, Mr. Alexander Michael, Linden Brenner-Lauzon, Mr. Tate Donovan, Theodore Donovan, Tobias Donovan, Tucker Donovan, Juliet Brenner, Evelyn Brenner; and all friends, and others who had known, associated with, worked with Peter Joseph on whom his impression was unparalleled and unforgettable. He will be dearly missed by his family and his companion dog Li’l Bud “Mr. Shine.” Peter’s life was an endearing story; A thousand-chapter narrative prose that this writer is unable to fully remember.
Born in Hagersville on July 6, 1959 his family had moved countless times about Haldimand and the Niagara region, 27 times to his knowledge before he lost count. As young as five years old he and his brothers were driving, running checks for his father’s fur traps, and searching through the dumps for valuables and metals, most notable the Wilford Road dump In Wainfleet. He recalled taking the discarded vachon pastry Mr. Labazo fed to his pigs and growing pickles for Mr. Walter Bicks and skating on frozen over swamps beneath the canopy of ice-covered willows. When their home on Daley Ditch Road burned in 1968 they moved again and through tribulations and in time eventually Peter arrived in Welland where he would call home for the next 50 years. He worked Hunka’s scrap yard on Railroad Avenue as young as 11. He shined shoes outside The Barclay, The Rita, And The Rex hotels when he was 12, so much more I can’t currently recall. His associations with the famous and the notorious are too many to recall at this time. Later Peter would be the owner operator of Rose City Taxi and Fort Erie Cab Company, he too was a realtor, landlord and taught Astrology in California for a time. His drive, efforts and interest lead him across the continent from Vancouver to Los Angeles to Key West to New York City, then home to Niagara.
Of his siblings he wrote:
From his mother’s obituary dated September, 1 2006
“David Brenner; my oldest brother to whom I owe my very existence at one time or another in my life.”
“My sister Marie has always been my knight in shining armour. She would find me a place to live for years, buy me clothes to try to get me to go to school as a teenager in her red 77 pinto when I was 18, and try to help out more times than most people would bother yet she always took care of the important things.”“My sister Phyllis who’s loving dedication saw her faithfully visit my mother on an almost daily basis for years, thank you Phyllis you comforted mom when we either couldn’t or be there perhaps physically perhaps emotionally either way you were a great help and its noticed and appreciated by all.” “Danny was my tough guy, cool guy, protector and teacher growing up always rambunctious and mischievous Danny made sure I wasn’t, he steered me on the clear and narrow he hates to admit it and often denied it but trust me he convinced me to behave, although I was a pretty good kid to start with. Thank God Danny is an incredibly talented individual who made his mother proud on many occasions.”“Johnny is a gentle soul with a sharp analytical mind. His wife Marie and him live in the falls, there presence here is a testament to moms love for them and them her.” Not one day went by where Peter wouldn’t reflect on life, his mother and father, and brothers and sisters, the mound in the floor of their home on Daley Ditch Road, they joked was buried treasure, his brother David Getting him a job at Stallwoods garage in Fonthill when Peter was 18. Living with Phyllis at her home on Myrtle Avenue in Welland when he was 15. Sorting metal with his brother John at their scrap yard. Living with Danny at Forks Road. Pottery in winger or them sneaking into The Dain City Drive In theatre with Paul Burger with the police pounding on the windows of his red international truck. Marie gathering and meticulously organizing all his paperwork for him to apply for law school or being 13 and standing with his three year old niece Teresa in Merritt Park watching the last ship go through The Olde Welland Canal. His life was too much to summarize; too elaborate. At an early age he developed the temperament and nerve to excel and strive and always dare to achieve. His ability to calculate and conceive astonished and intimidated all lines of professionals; people who had worked decades to still be barely knowledgeable in their fields were shocked and awed by Peter’s understanding of everything and his ability to explain and relate, A greatness admired, adorned, and envied. Peter excelled at everything in which he took interest. Having lived unstable, Peter did not regularly attend school having wheeled and dealed and took care of his mother through all of his childhood. As such had to attain his equivalency which he did. With the help of Marie and the great recommendations of professionals who knew how bright Peter is, he was accepted to Osgoode Hall Law School; though he did not attend as a terrible car accident in Buffalo, New York On May 5 ,1983 that led to him suffering chronic appendicitis for the following 25 years and as such his life was shoved off course from the greatness Peter was set toward. Peter was a real estate sales representative and real estate developer, he was an auto dealer, a metals merchant, an astronomer, a writer, a real teacher, a philosopher, a true empath; some had referred to him as a consummate gentleman; and they are right. Uncompromising only because he knew best. all who met him couldn’t help being either enthralled or intimidated by his brilliance. His way of gazing into you knowing exactly what you are and how you would react in any given situation and so many couldn’t stand it while unable to deny it; the sheer brilliance. With the unexpected departure of Peter Joseph Brenner an everlasting reminder is sounded far and wide that even for the most great and glorious, enthralling and brilliant, there is a time that can’t be predicted; can only be accepted by those of us who are left. We love You Peter and will never forget you. “Do not go gently into that good night; fight till your last breath, to the final second, the peaceful end “
Goodbye Peter Joseph Brenner. No service has been scheduled at this time. A notice will be posted when such arrangements have been made.