OnFocus – Mike Brehm, age 72, passed away on Thursday, May 13, 2021 at Marshfield Medical Center surrounded by his loving family.
A private family memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at Rembs Funeral Home, Marshfield, where a public visitation will be from 9:30 am until the service. A nephew, Rev. Chris Brehm and Rev. Mark Krueger will officiate.
Mike was born on July 10, 1948 in Medford, the son of Marvin and Antonia (Neder) Brehm. He attended Holy Rosary School in Medford and graduated from Medford Senior High School in 1966. He then attended the University of WI at the Wausau Center for two years, then transferring to UW Madison where he graduated with a degree in accounting in January 1971.
He married his high school sweetheart, Peggy Frischman on June 5, 1971 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Medford.
Mike became an auditor for the State of Wi Department of Revenue and worked out of the Baraboo area where they lived for two years. In 1973 they decided they wanted to move back closer to Medford, so he transferred with the State to Marshfield. In October 1977 Mike was hired by the City of Marshfield as their Comptroller where he worked for 20 years. In 1998 he was asked to be the new City Administrator where he worked for 12 more years until retiring in July 2010.
Mike & Peggy loved to travel and every summer they took their daughters on a vacation to different parts of the US. By the time the girls graduated high school and college they had been in every state except Alaska and Hawaii and parts of Canada and Tijuana Mexico.
When they retired, they took their dream vacation and drove all the way to Alaska where they spent 5 1/2 weeks seeing everything they could including the oil fields and dipped their toes in the Arctic Ocean.
Mike was an avid sportsman, loved deer hunting in the Chequamegon Forest with his brother, nephews, and later his son-in-law and grandson. He also went to Canada fishing with five great friends every summer and also canoeing in Canada with a neighbor.
Mike loved music, especially from the 60’s and he could tell you who sang any song you asked about and even tell you where he was when the song was being played. Mike was known for his dry wit and humor, a characteristic he shared with his brothers.
Mike is survived by his wife Peggy, two daughters Michele (Kent) Elliott of DeForest, Heidi (Jerad) Royal of Portage. Also, four grandchildren who he loved dearly, Ira Royal and William Royal of Portage and Morgan and Zachary Elliott of DeForest.
He is also survived by siblings, Carol Hummer of Dorchester, Robert (Allie) Brehm of Antigo, Cordell Brehm of Medford, Joe (Sue) Brehm of Madison and Joan Rickert of Medford.
He was predeceased by his parents, an older brother Charles who died as a young child, and a sister Gloria Potocnik.
The family thanks the Marshfield Medical Center for his care while he was there and to the wonderful nurses on 5th floor who took care of him.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorials be sent to the family to be used as a memorial in Mike’s name at the Wildwood Park and Zoo where he a big part of the fundraising for our big Kodiak bear exhibit.
Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com
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