Myrtle Brenno

Myrtle Dora Brenno, 98, passed peacefully into heaven’s gate on November 3, 2024. She was formally a long-time resident of Columbus, ND, and spent the last 11 years in the Bismarck area; six years at Edgewood Vista in Mandan ND and the past five years at Baptist Health and Rehab in Bismarck, ND.

Myrtle was born on her parent’s farm south of Larson, ND on May 24, 1926. She was one of eight siblings. She attended rural school and graduated from Columbus High School. After graduating and during the war, she worked for Boeing in Seattle, WA and then in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she had an opportunity to charter a flight over the North Pole.

Myrtle returned home to North Dakota to marry Ferol Brenno on September 21, 1951. They were very blessed to have 65 wonderful years together. They lived and worked on a farm south of Columbus where they had three children; Susan, Karen, and Michael. In 1977 they built a home in Columbus, ND.

She worked for Swenson Red Owl and Columbus State Bank, in addition to being a hard-working farmers wife. Myrtle was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbus for 64 years and belonged to the Women’s Church Group Bible Study. She taught Sunday School for many years and belonged to the Columbus Senior Citizen group. 

Myrtle enjoyed reading, working with flowers, baking Christmas treats, volunteering at the Church, golfing at the Columbus Park, riding around in the golf cart, playing solitaire on the computer, playing many games of whist and pinochle, and doing crossword and word search puzzles. 

Myrtle was survived by her daughter, Karen (Brian) Haldorson, Lone Tree CO; son-in-law, Gary (Kim) Bless, Bismarck; five grandchildren, Eric (Kelsey) Bless, Bismarck, ND; Kristin (Ryan) Tobias, Bismarck, ND; Marisa, Austin and Brooke Haldorson, Denver, CO; five great-grandchildren, Payton, Emersen and Brooklynn Bless, Susan “Suzy” and Carson Tobias, Bismarck ND; special niece, Faye (Steve) Uppman, and many more nieces and nephews. 

Myrtle was preceded in death by her husband, Ferol Brenno; her daughter, Susan Marie Bless, baby son, Michael James Brenno; her parents, Hans and Kaspara Nordtvedt, her six sisters, Thelma Nordtvedt, Grace Nordtvedt, Gladys Ashiem, baby Rose, Margaret Young and Rose Sanders, her two brothers, Clifford Nordtvedt and Dennis Nordtvedt. 

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, November 8 at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck.

 A graveside burial service will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, November 9 at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Columbus, ND.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Columbus Trinity Lutheran Church for the Columbus Cemetery Fund in Columbus, ND 58727.