Brooke Lee Silvernail

Brooke Lee Silvernail, age 75 of Crosslake, Minnesota was called home to Heaven on May 12th, 2023. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 19th 2023 at 12 pm at the Immaculate Heart Catholic Church in Crosslake, Minnesota, with a visitation held prior to the service at 10:30.

Brooke was born on March 1, 1948 at the Black River Falls, Wisconsin hospital to Theodore Carl and Lucille June Silvernail. He attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School through eighth grade, and then continued his schooling at the Black River Falls High School until he graduated with the class of 1966. He achieved the Eagle Scout Award in Black River Falls in his early teens. He attended Eau Claire State University in Eau Claire, Wisconsin for two years in pre-architecture before moving on to the University of Minnesota for four years, graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1972. He married Diane June Trustem on August 9, 1969, and they had their first child, Brandon Patrick Silvernail, at Methodist Hospital on July 2, 1974. He became licensed in 1976 as a licensed Architect #11802. Shortly thereafter, he moved his family to International Falls where he became a partner with James Cowgill in the firm of Architects 2. They had their second child, Garrett Cameron Silvernail, at the International Falls hospital on August 10, 1977. In 1980, he moved his family to Crookston, MN to join Widseth Smith Nolting, an engineering and surveying firm, to start their Architecture department. He was there for four years before moving his family to Baxter, Minnesota in 1984. In March of 1985 he joined Nor-Son, Inc. to start their design/build division of the company. In 1990 he became a major stockholder of the company up until he retired on January 1, 2008. He was involved in the design of numerous buildings in upper Minnesota. His first wife, of 44 years, Diane died on August 24, 2013 of lung cancer. He served on the Confidence Learning Center Board, the Habitat for Humanity Board, Brainerd Sunrise Rotary Board, President of the Brainerd Amateur Hockey Board, the St. Joseph Medical Center Board, and the Brainerd Chamber of Commerce Board. He was a Rotarian for many years starting in International Falls, then Crookston, then the Brainerd Rotary Club, and was one of the charter members of the Brainerd Lakes Sunrise Rotary Club where he served as the first President in 1987-1988. He has been involved with the Confidence Learning Center for many years, and designed numerous facilities there. He received the Everett Lassig Award and the John Beyer Award from Camp. He was a member of the Central Lakes Corvette Club where he served as President and Treasurer for several years. He enjoyed numerous trips with his corvette and friends all over the United States. He remarried to Laurinda (Laurie) Lorraine Owen on October 1, 2016. 

He is survived by his wife, Laurie; his sons; Brandon (Marnie) (grandchildren; Ryan & Sophie), and Garrett (grandchildren; Riley (Libby), (great-grandchildren; Catirina, Calihan, & Marley) & Cameryn), his step-children; Christopher (Kayla) (step-grandchildren; Callaway & Kennedy), Heather (Will) (goddaughter; Wrenna), and Michael (Melissa) (step-grandchildren; Bode & Hayes), and step father Loren. He was preceded in death by his first wife Diane in 2013, his father Theodore Carl Silvernail in 1955, his brother Mark Carl Silvernail in 2012, his mother Lucille June Silvernail/Sack in 2019, and his loving shih Tzu Mazey.

He has requested that all memorials be made to: Confidence Learning Center, 1620 Mary Fawcett Memorial Dr. Brainerd, MN 56401

Arrangements are with the Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Crosslake, Minnesota