Dennis Berndgen

Dennis Berndgen, 74, of Brainerd, passed away at his home on Monday, September 25, 2023.  A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 2, 2023, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd.  Family and friends are invited to gather one hour prior to Mass at the church on Monday as well as Sunday afternoon from 3-5 p.m. at Nelson – Doran Funeral Home in Brainerd.  Interment with Military Honors will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, October 2, at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Camp Ripley.

Dennis was born December 11, 1948, in Minneapolis, the son of Donald and Bernice (Carpentier) Berndgen.  At a young age, his family bought “the cabin” on Pelican Lake and it has always been Dennis’ favorite place.  He loved hunting and fishing or sitting at the ball parks, gyms, and ice rinks watching his sons play sports or relaxing at the lake with the boys.

After graduation from De La Salle High School, Dennis earned an A.A. degree and attended the U of M before enlisting in the army, where he served several years in Germany. When he returned home, he married Barbara Stokke, a teacher he had met on leave in the Brainerd Lakes Area.  The couple made their home and raised their family in Brainerd. Dennis worked as an electrician for many years.  After he retired, he volunteered at Habitat for Humanity and St. Francis Catholic Church.

He had a kind, gentle heart with the ability to make a short story quite long.  His appreciation for details was in everything he did. 

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Barbara; sons, David (Allee), Michael, and Steven (Sara); grandchildren, Remington, Emersyn, and Cora; sister, Mary Schaffhausen; nephew, Troy Schaffhausen; great niece, Zoey Schaffhausen; sister-in-law, Sue (Dennis) Bendickson; and brother-in-law, Todd (Ann) Stokke.  He was preceded in death by his parents and nephews, Ryan Bendickson and Spencer Stokke.

Memorials are preferred to Knute Nelson Hospice or Habitat for Humanity.