Dennis C. Bratsch

Dennis C. Bratsch 96, of Spicer, died Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at Carris Health Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar.  His funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, May 28, 2022, at Living Word Lutheran Church in rural New London.  Burial will be at Burbank Cemetery in rural New London.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Services are entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home in New London.  

Dennis (Denny) Curtis Bratsch was born May 21, 1926, to Willie J. and Lillie (Lawin) Bratsch on a farm south of Danube, MN.  As Denny always said, he was #9 of 14 children.  He left home at the age of 14 to work on a farm, later moving to South St. Paul to work at the stockyards.  At age 16, he drove a coal truck to West Virginia to the coal mines.  There he drove coal trucks until he joined the US Army to serve in World War II.  He was a Purple Heart Veteran; wounded in action in Europe.

Dennis and Eileen Robbin were married on December 3, 1976, and were blessed with 45 wonderful years together.

Denny and Eileen traveled 50 states and saw the south pacific.  They spent many winters in south Texas in their motorhome, and summers in the New London/Spicer area.  Denny enjoyed mowing grass, fishing, camping, playing Texas Holdem, gardening, and a good steak!  Most of all, he enjoyed visiting with friends and family about his lifetime of experiences while trucking.  He started a successful business, “Bratsch Trucking of Olivia” in the early 1960s and retired in 1983.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Eileen, and their combined 7 children:  Denny’s daughters, Linda  (Terry) Harden of Green Valley, AZ, Julie Bennington of Green Valley, AZ, and son, Tim Bratsch of Waconia, MN;  Eileen’s children, Lexy (Agueda) Robbin of Willmar, Wendy (Gary) Steffenson of Belgrade, Ronny (Lynette) Robbin of Belgrade, and Lonny (Wendy) Robbin of New London.  Together, they have 22 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, and 16 great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 8 sisters, 5 brothers, a daughter, Dorie Green in 2013, and a great-great-granddaughter, Grace Strand in 2018.

Denny passed from this life on Tuesday, May 24th, 2022.  He will be greatly missed by his loving wife, family, and many friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dennis C. Bratsch, please visit our floral store.