Irene Bronner, who helped build Frankenmuth Christmas wonderland, dies at 95
Irene Bronner, who helped build one of Michigan's most iconic retail attractions, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, died Oct. 16.
She was 95.
Born in Hemlock, Michigan, Bronner was married for more than 55 years to Wallace “Wally” Bronner, who died in 2008 at 81.
Irene Bronner helped her husband develop the sprawling, year-round, Yuletide-themed store in the Saginaw County city of Frankenmuth, known as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria.” She served on the board of directors and in many other roles at the company touted as the largest Christmas-themed store in the world.
Before joining her husband at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, she was a teacher in Frankenmuth public schools and in Buena Vista.
The couple met in 1951 at a Lutheran youth rally, according to Detroit Free Press archives.
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That same year, Wally Bronner, who was running a sign-painting business at the time, met some merchants from Clare who were searching for Christmas decorations. He designed and produced decorations they needed and recognized a broader need for commercial decorations, holding his first decorations exhibit in 1952.
Two years later, the couple built their first permanent commercial building in the middle of Frankenmuth, half of it dedicated to sign-painting, the other to Christmas decorations. In 1963, an expansion added Bronner's Tannenbaum Shop and Bronner's Bavarian Corner.
After outgrowing the original buildings, Bronner's moved in 1977 to the 45-acre tract of land where it now stands.
Today, it boasts 350 Christmas trees decorated in religious, traditional and toyland themes, with over 6,000 types of ornaments, according to the Bronner's website. More than 500 different nativities and 50,000 trims and gifts are displayed. Many items are exclusive Bronner designs.
The Bronner family opted not to grant media interviews Tuesday. Bronner’s faith and family were foremost in her life, according to her obituary. As matriarch of the Bronner family, she was known for her kindness, sweet personality and faith.
She was a member of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, where she served on the St. Lorenz Evangelism team for more than 30 years and in the mixed choir for 40 years.
She also volunteered at the Lutheran Home in Frankenmuth where she played piano for monthly sing-alongs for more than 34 years. She was a past president of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Guild, served as Saginaw Valley Zone Walther League president and was involved with the Wallace and Irene Bronner and Family Charitable Foundation.
“She was a wonderful lady who let her faith shine in all she did,” friends Clem and Mary Naples wrote on her sympathy page.
Bronner is survived by her four children, Wayne (Lorene) Bronner, Carla (Bob) Spletzer, Randy (Deneen) Bronner and Maria (Christopher) Sutorik; several grandchildren, Dietrich (Autumn) Bronner, Garrett (Christine) Bronner, Ryan (Maggie) Spletzer, Paul Spletzer and Greg (fiancee Alayna) Spletzer; a step-granddaughter, Rhonda Rajsich; a great-granddaughter, Quinn Rose Bronner; three step-great-grandchildren, Quinn Marie, Blaine and James; her sister-in-law, Miriam Pretzer; a brother-in-law, Roland Bessinger; and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, 1030 W. Tuscola St. in Frankenmuth. Visitation will be 2-8 p.m. Friday at Cederberg Funeral Home, 590 N. Franklin St. in Frankenmuth.
Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com. To subscribe, go to freep.com/specialoffer.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Irene Bronner, who helped build Bronner's Christmas Wonderland dies
