Michael C. Bruening

Michael C. Bruening

October 29, 1964 – October 9, 2018

Survived by parents, Janice and Gilbert Bruening; sisters: Renee Higgason (Jerry), Mary Turner (John), Michele Lehrman (Terry), and Jennifer Weichel (Mark); brother, Robert Bruening (Verna); many nieces, nephews, and friends.

The family will receive friends on Friday, October 12th from 5pm to 7pm at the West Center Chapel.  SERVICES: Saturday, October 13th at 10am at the West Center Chapel.  Interment, Hillcrest Memorial Park. Memorials are suggested to Open Door Mission and American Cancer Society.

 

27 Comments

  • Marty McAndrew Posted October 9, 2018 5:27 pm

    May the God of grace and comfort be with the Bruening family and with the his church family.

  • Linn Gowen Posted October 10, 2018 4:54 pm

    I knew Mike well and counted him as a friend. He is greatly missed. Linn

  • Tim Stuart Posted October 10, 2018 5:11 pm

    As work colleagues for the last 20 years, Mike and I would celebrate our one-day-apart October birthdays. On those dates, just like on every other day of the year, he has always been a ray of sunshine—whether it was bright and cloudless or a downright gloomy day. Memories of Mike will always serve to lift me up, even in the darkest of times. Bless you and thank you, Mike.

  • Michael Long Posted October 10, 2018 5:27 pm

    Mike Bruening, my beloved friend; they don’t come much better than you. You helped me move in to my 3rd floor apartment, helped me move out of my 3rd floor apartment and and helped me move into my 3rd floor house. You cared enough for me to ask me the tough questions and requested to interrogate my, now married 10 years (two weeks ago), wife. You introduced me to Rob our dear friend. You could always lend me your ear and listen without judgement. I looked forward to breaking bread every month in your home. I will miss you. I will see you in heaven soon my brother. Love you… Michael Long

  • Scott Gatewood Posted October 10, 2018 7:06 pm

    God bless you Mike. We will see you again.

  • Stacy Burrus Posted October 10, 2018 8:11 pm

    Renee, Jerry, Sarah, Nicole, Melissa and family,

    I know Michael was near and dear to your hearts. I’m thinking about you all during this difficult time of loss. May God’s hand be on you all. Thinking about him up him heaven in a big library enjoying his time reading the stories of the lives of his loved one. Love, Stacy

  • Lisa Bain (Distefano) Posted October 10, 2018 10:02 pm

    May memories of Michael and the love of family surround you and give you strength in the days ahead.
    My God Bless the Bruening Family

  • Paul Thies Posted October 11, 2018 4:13 am

    Mike was a great person and enjoyed working with him. I will miss him.

  • Bridget Lynch Posted October 11, 2018 10:49 am

    Mike was a friend during the years I worked with him at the chamber. We didn’t spend tons of time together but we were lucky enough to develop a unique relationship. Our conversations rarely concerned work – mostly it was a relaxed sharing of ideas & beliefs – many times at the buffet on 144th St. I always left these times smiling and counting my blessing to have Mike in my world. Mike was special! Mike was a friend!

  • Sheila O’Connor Posted October 11, 2018 2:56 pm

    Mike was one of the ‘great ones!’ He never met a stranger and was always quick with a smile and kind words. He will be missed! God speed, my friend, until we meet again.

  • William Rogers Posted October 11, 2018 4:31 pm

    My sincere and most heartfelt condolences goes to the loves ones of Mike’s family. He was such a super swell guy. He show me so much help and love. Well Mike take your wings, no more suffering here. He was such a super cool guy that will be missed. Thanks Bruening Family being such a beautiful family to the world. William Rogers

  • Lauren Villafuerte Posted October 11, 2018 8:16 pm

    Mike was such a dear friend to our family and the Best Man at our wedding. I will forever remember his kindness and sweet soul. His family and friends are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. May we all find peace in the knowledge that he is truly Home, now.

  • Chuck and Gloria Gackstetter Posted October 11, 2018 10:15 pm

    Our thoughts and Prayers are with you all in the trying days ahead. May the memories of Love , Joy, Laughter ,and Great Times soften the sorrow and loss and fill your hearts with gratitude for the times shared.
    Thinking of you all.
    Chuck and Gloria Gackstetter and Family.

  • Anonymous Posted October 12, 2018 7:32 am

    I just wanted to let Mike’s family know….I worked with him during some of his final days and all he spoke of was the love he had surrounding him. He was SO loved and cared for by all of you and he felt it to his core. He spoke of being a bachelor and his relationship with God. As I walked away….I looked him in the eye and said….”it seems like for a bachelor, you have never lacked love… you’re one lucky man!” We also came to the conclusion that he needed to focus on the quality of his days and not the quantity….Your family made his days beautiful and full of love….I will hold you all in my heart and prayers.

  • Janet Gerner Posted October 12, 2018 7:49 am

    Mike was the kindest, most genuine person I’ve ever met. He was one of God’s angels on earth. My prayers go out to the Bruening family and all of his friends.

  • Mike Towey Posted October 12, 2018 8:10 am

    Mike was one of the best friends I have ever had. He was very kind, thoughtful and would do anything to help anyone. I am real sorry for his loss and I will miss him greatly. Truly,Mike is one of the best people I have ever gotten to know.

  • Joe Robertson Posted October 12, 2018 8:24 am

    I am so sorry for your loss. I knew Mike Through BSF and I am so blessed to have known him. He had a huge heart for the Lord and for everyone he met and would always take time to talk with or listen to anyone in need. Our loss is Heaven’s gain and I look forward to seeing Mike again when we are joined with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
    1 Thessalonians 4:13-15
    13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

  • Melissa Hohndorf Posted October 12, 2018 3:27 pm

    My deepest sympathy for your family. Mike was a genuine person who loved the Lord so much. He was always a positive, tenderhearted, and generous person. He touched so many many lives. He will be greatly missed. You are all in my prayers.

  • Greg Eischeid Posted October 12, 2018 11:21 pm

    My deepest sympathy to the Bruening family. I’ve spent the better part of the past decade living/working in the northern VA area or overseas..Wherever I’m at, I always keep up on local news back home and brag about Nebraska to those out East that will listen. In any event for some reason I clicked on the omaha.com site and Mike’s obit came up and I never go to the obituary section so I was shocked to say the least. God really does work in mysterious ways. I’m sure Mike is happy in heaven.. I’m sorry I couldn’t have spent more time with him on earth. We were best of friends in our “huge” class of about 30 at St. Gerald’s grade school and I believe there were only about 8 of us boys so we were greatly outnumbered but everyone liked Mike. He was a strong person inside and out. We shared many good times in school, on the playground or in backyard football games. May God bless the Bruening family and give you strength during this very difficult time.

  • Jane Merimee Posted October 13, 2018 2:50 pm

    I would like to give my thoughts and prayers to the family of Micheal. I went to school with Mike at Ralston and he was a very very nice and likable guy. Cute too. But he always thought of others and kept to himself. I will always remember him. Like the other that have passed from our school I will never forget him.

  • Cheryl Schow Posted October 14, 2018 7:02 pm

    My deepest sympathies to Mike’s family & friends. I was fortunate to get to know Mike through his employment with GOEDP these past few years. He always brought a smile & a kind word to every meeting & event….was a selfless man with a compassion for his fellow mankind! He will be missed! Prayers for God’s peace, love & healing to fill your hearts. Death is not the end, but the beginning of eternal life.

  • Manny Quevedo Posted October 15, 2018 6:09 pm

    Some angels are with us forever…

  • Todd Cushing Posted October 17, 2018 2:10 pm

    Mike was the kindest, nicest person I have ever met. He was a pleasure to work with and very dedicated to doing what was right. Incredible selflessness putting others always before himself.. He will be missed on earth set free to do more good work.

  • Sarah Montgomery Posted October 17, 2018 10:32 pm

    Mike was a good friend when I attended Temple Baptist. He was a shoulder to cry on, a confidant, he helped me move and was a true friend. He was always so professional and humble. I always think of him when I travel every time I see a Gideon’s Bible in a hotel room. My sympathies and condolences to his family and Temple Baptist.

  • Andrew Matney Posted February 12, 2019 7:11 pm

    I didn’t know Mike very well. But I would like to thank his family for having such a nice guy. I was just a child that lived a couple doors down from him and there was a time when I was temporarily in a wheelchair due to an accident I was in a few nights each week my mom could not carry me in to my bed so she would ask Mike I he never hesitated to do so! Thank you again Mike you will be missed even by distant neighbors

  • Channon Mawdsley Posted September 1, 2022 9:56 pm

    Haven’t seen/talked to Mike since he left ISU in ’84. Have thought of him often over the yrs. Wondered what he was doing/how he was. Came in together as freshmen in the Fall of ’83. He was so genuine, kind, & treated me like everybody else, I had nothing but respect for him. Also remember the knee braces that trainer Randall had designed. Mike had huge cuts/scars in his shins from them. They looked very painful, but not once did Mike ever complain. You could tell from conversation with him- he was very intelligent & always had a good attitude. Reason this is so late, my daughter decided to attend college @ UNL. On the way back home to IA, started to think of teammates from Omaha @ Iowa State. Vince Jasper, Scott Benson, Bill Hanley, & Mike. So I Googled his name & found out of his passing, He was a genuine great human being! Even tho it’s been years…. I want his family to know that he had a positive influence on me.
    Channon Mawdsley
    Algona, IA

  • Dee Dee Ellis Posted October 20, 2022 10:58 am

    Mike and I were in the same training class when we started at Union Pacific in the 1991. He was the absolute NICEST guy in the world. I remember he would often go to lunch with me and other coworkers who had moved to Omaha. He always wanted to learn about our experiences and often shared memories of his own upbringing. We eventually lost touch after I left the city in 1993 but I’m glad to see he continued his professional career offering encouragement and support to others – the perfect job for a guy like him! I happened to come upon a picture of our UP training group on a trip Arkansas around 1991 or 1992 and thought I would look him up. Although I am saddened to see his physical presence is no longer here with us, I’m sure, as kindhearted as he was, Mike now has a spiritual home among the angels in the presence of God. May his family find comfort in knowing, years after his passing, the memory of their cherished loved one lives on in the hearts of many both near and far.

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