About Us

Growing up on a farm, John learned the value of hard work and integrity.  After many years of supporting his family through a construction business and farming, John knew he needed to make a change in his life and a difference in the lives of those around him.  He went back to school to become a funeral director and graduated from the University of Minnesota. Since 2012, he has been working for Brenny Family Funeral Chapel.  He achieved another goal in February of 2019 when he and his wife, Karolyn purchased the funeral chapels.  He is excited to usher in a new era of compassionate care and excellent service.

John's family is most important to him and he enjoys the time he is able to spend with them - whether attending a Vikings game, boating on Perch Lake, or sitting around the bonfire. In the winter you can catch him relaxing while watching his favorite tv shows Judge Judy and Impractical Jokers. John is always willing to lend a hand and help out in any way that he can.

Growing up in a family of eleven in St. Augusta, MN, Karolyn learned at a young age the values of hard work and family. 

Karolyn married John Brenny in 1990 and together had their four children: Kortney, Wayde, Alexander, and Vanessa. For many years, they lived on the century family farm John grew up on near Gilman, MN. Karolyn and John have always worked together on various adventures in life, and in February of 2019, they purchased the Brenny Family Funeral Chapels along with their son, Alexander. 

Karolyn has her own business – Karolyn’s Integrated Healing Hands, where she does various types of alternative healing and makes her own products. Her passion to help people heal emotionally and mentally is a great asset that she brings to the Brenny Family Funeral Chapel team. With her gifts and love for people, she helps families through the grieving process with our After-Care Services. 

In Karolyn’s free time, she loves spending time with her family, as family is such an important part of her life. She enjoys spending time with John, their children, and their grandchildren, Dalia, Jayde, Ava and Lincoln. She loves to cook and entertain for her family and friends, going on pontoon rides and fishing on the lake, and being in the sunshine. During the summer months, you can find Karolyn and John out for walks or on bike rides. Karolyn is very interested in health and learning benefits, and mentoring a healthy lifestyle to her family, friends, and clients.

Alex's interest in funeral service started after his dad began working for the Brenny Family Funeral Chapel in 2012. Eager to follow in the path of providing excellent service and care to the families in the Brainerd Lakes Area, Alex started by obtaining his insurance license and working with families preplanning and prefunding their funeral services.  In 2017, he began attending Des Moines Area Community College in Des Moines, Iowa for Mortuary Science and in 2020 became a licensed funeral director.

Alex is proud to be married to Rachel; they recently had their first baby, Lincoln, in May 2022 and they also have a dog named Urnie. 

Joe owned and operated the Brenny Funeral Chapels for more than 46 years before selling to John and Karolyn Brenny in 2019.  He is now looking forward to retirement - spending time on the lake, on the deer stand and spoiling his two little grandsons in Florida.

Joe began his career in funeral service as a young boy watching his dad serve families in the Little Falls Area.  After completing high school and obtaining is Mortuary Science Degree, Joe bought the Belling and Huff Funeral Homes in Staples and expanded over his 46 years in funeral care to have chapels in Baxter/Brainerd, Crosslake, Pequot Lakes, and Randall.  During his career, he estimates he has served more than 12,500 families.  And the best part for him has always been when a family comes to him a year, ten years or even 25 years later and remembers the kindness and professionalism he showed their family.

Mike joined our staff on September 1, 2014. He brings with him over 39 years of experience and knowledge. Mike is married to Pauline and they have two sons and three grandchildren. Mike is very happy to be living in the Brainerd Lakes Area, so he can enjoy one of his favorite pastimes, golf, on the award winning courses we have in our area. He also enjoys working with computers and skiing.

Magdalen learned the value of a strong work ethic growing up as the oldest of four children on a dairy farm in Sauk Rapids, MN. After graduating from the University of Minnesota Morris in 2014, she met Wayde Brenny, the son of John and Karolyn Brenny. Magdalen and Wayde were married in the fall of 2017 and together they bought the Brenny century farm in Rice, MN that both John and Wayde grew up on.

After seeing the dedication and the compassion that the Brenny’s have in serving the families in the Brainerd Lakes Area, Magdalen knew she needed to join their team. She joined the Brenny Family Funeral Chapel in the summer of 2020 and she is never looking back. Magdalen enjoys helping families with each step of planning services and honoring their loved one lives.  

In her free time, Magdalen enjoys spending time with her daughters, Jayde and Ava; farming with her husband, especially in the spring during lambing and calving time; and spending time with her extended family.

Melanie grew up in the Brainerd area and enjoys spending time out on the lake and walking on the trails.  She joined the Brenny team in 2020 after the passing of her father-in-law.  Melanie worked directly with the Brenny team in planning her father-in-laws funeral services and experienced first-hand the care, compassion, and dedication the Brenny team has to offer. 

Melanie has over eight years of experience as an office administrator and takes great pride in assisting families with creating a personalized memorial for their loved one.  She currently lives in Baxter with her husband, Jon and is very family oriented.

Tessa was born and raised in the Brainerd area. She joined the Brenny Team in August of 2021, after seven years as a licensed assistant in Real Estate. Tessa enjoys spending time with her husband and her daughter, who is in elementary school at Lake Region Christian School. In her spare time, Tessa and her family enjoy being outdoors, being with friends and family, and traveling together. She is active in the community with volunteer work at Habitat for Humanity, church, and the VFW. Tessa is passionate about helping families through planning their loved one’s memorial service, and providing caring service to them at a difficult time.

Steve Suer joined the Brenny team in 2010. Officiating at services, he is one of the kindest individuals you will ever meet. Steve served his country during Vietnam and truly understands the value of our veterans and their families. He and his wife Mary have four kids and grandchildren, along with their sweet little fur baby, Dolly.

Rachel was born in Rochester and grew up in small town called Hayfield; she will forever call southeastern Minnesota “home.”

Rachel has been involved in funeral service ever since she was born; her and her family even lived in a funeral home until she was in 1st grade. The daughter of a first generation funeral director and a registered nurse, Rachel has been surrounded by compassion and empathy since birth. Rachel’s younger brother is a second generation funeral director working along side her father.

Rachel followed in the footsteps of her mother and received her Bachelor's of Science - Nursing degree from Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI in 2019. She is a Registered Nurse at Essentia Health-Baxter Clinic and helps out at Brenny Family Funeral Chapels on a part time basis with funerals.

Rachel is proud to be married to Alex; they recently had their first baby, Lincoln, in May 2022 and they also have a dog named Urnie. 

Wanda has been a member of the community since birth and an excellent addition to our staff. Wanda is retired but enjoys coming in to help with visitations and luncheons. We also thank her for always decorating for the holidays. Wanda and her husband Gary live in Pillager where they enjoy spending time on the river with family and friends. Wanda is always ready for a good time and can find the best hats.

Gary does whatever everybody else can't or won't do. He is a true jack of all trades and just a joy to have on staff. He is our handyman, transportation expert and funeral assistant. After retiring from Potlatch, this native Brainerdite wanted to keep busy and we are glad to have him around. Gary and his wife, Helen, live in Brainerd. They are members of St. Francis Catholic Church and enjoy spending time with their eight children, 14 grandchildren and their friends. We appreciate all the goodies he shares and his love of peanut butter and chocolate.

Suli joined the Brenny family in 2022.  She moved to Minnesota in 2007 and has worked in the customer service industry for over 25 years. As the youngest of 9 siblings and with 5 children of her own, adopting the Brenny principle of “serving your family as our own” comes naturally to her. As your PreNeed Counselor, Suli can provide you with the information and guidance necessary to make meaningful decisions about your funeral.