Raymond Wesley Brining, 92, died peacefully Oct. 17 at his home in Great Bend, surrounded by his family. He will always be remembered for his sense of humor, his stewardship of the land, his joy in mentoring the young and family and his love of the Lord.
Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Dorothy, of Great Bend; his son, Donald Brining and wife, Chér, of Waddington, N.Y.; his daughter, Barbara Brining-Ross and her husband, James, of Clark, Colo.; and his granddaughter, Danielle Brining-Plumadore and her husband, Ronnie of Waddington, N.Y.; two sisters: Mildred Brining-Snyder of Oviedo, Fla., and Wilma Brining-Riegel and her husband, Donald, of Lubbock, Texas; and 13 nieces and nephews: Steve Snyder and his wife Lynn of Denver, Colo.; Robert Brining and his wife, Linda of Aspen, Colo.; Karen Riegel-Schneider and her husband, Steve of Amarillo, Texas.; Linda Brining-Keener and her husband, Will, of Las Cruces, N.M.; Bruce Riegel of Austin, Texas; Sue Snyder-Alexander and her husband, Gary, of Brentwood, Tenn.; Stacie Snyder-Curd and her husband Mike of Allen, Texas; David Riegel and his wife, Linda, of Lubbock, Texas; Scott Snyder and his wife, Deanna, of Oviedo, Fla.; Sherman Snyder and his wife, Julie of New York City, N.Y.; Roger Brining and his wife, Erika, of Great Bend; Shellie Snyder-Ritter and her husband, John, of Seattle, Wash.; and Daryl Riegel and his wife, Pam, of Temple, Texas; a host of grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces great-grand nephews. He was predeceased by his father, Ray Brining. in 1969, his mother, Beula Brining, in 1983 and his younger brother, Richard Brining, in 2006, all of Great Bend.
Mr. Brining was born Dec. 8, 1917, the son of John Raymond Brining and Beula Marie Butler. Raymond grew up on the family’s farm which was homesteaded by his grandparents. He graduated from Great Bend High School and met his life partner, Dorothy Lucile Archer, at church where they were both active in the Methodist young adult group. Raymond served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a weather specialist. While home on leave from Newark, N.J,, he and Dorothy were married on April 17, 1944. After the war, they returned to Great Bend where Raymond joined his father, Ray, in farming. He and Dorothy have lived on the family farmstead ever since.
For Raymond and Dorothy there were always three primary focuses in their lives — their faith, their family and their farm. Their lives have always reflected that focus. Throughout his life, Raymond was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, serving as a lay leader and member of the Board of Trustees. He was always active in farm organizations, served on the Great Bend Co-op Board for nine years, the township Board for 20 years and the Shady Grove District 4 School Board for many years.
In 1994 on the occasion of Raymond and Dorothy’s Golden Wedding Anniversary, their family set up a scholarship in their honor through the Kansas State University Foundation to commemorate the special event and the central place farming had in their lives. The scholarship was set up in their names to help others from Barton County interested in studying for a career in agriculture. Raymond made a positive impact in his community and always said, "Farming was good to us and gave us a good life.".... His legacy through this scholarship is to help make that kind of life possible for young people who are interested in living a life connected to the land.
The family would like to express sincere appreciation for those who made it possible for Raymond to enjoy his final years at home. Local family members include Roger and Erika Brining, Clarice Brining, Craig Haneke and Bev Simonson; friends: Brian and Jody Johnson, Bob and Evelyn Essmiller, Jim and Linda Essmiller and Sue Parmer; and Dr. Jeffrey Brozek, Elder Care, especially caregivers Wanda Peters and Alice Barber and finally South Wind Hospice, especially Jennifer Honomichl and Tory Smith.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Thursday at First United Methodist Church, Great Bend. The Rev. Tom Sheldon will officiate. Burial with military honors will be in the Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday at Bryant Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to the "Raymond and Dorothy Brining Scholarship Fund," the First United Methodist Church or South Wind Hospice, all in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3525
Great Bend (Kan.)
