Obit: Brey, Francis A. “Hammy” (1931 - 2023)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Brey, Joosten, Poznanski, Gardner, Ehlers, Klier, Griesbach, Sinner, Dale, Nigon, Famiyeh

----Source: Cuddie Funeral Home (Greenwood, Clark Co., WI) 1/10/2023

Brey, Francis A. (1 June 1931 - 7 January 2023) With Flag

Francis A. "Hammy" Brey, age 91, of Greenwood, passed away on Saturday, January 7, 2023, surrounded by his loving family at Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield.

Francis Anthony Brey was born on June 1, 1931, in Milladore, the son of Frank and Delia (Joosten) Brey. As a child, Hammy was raised in a farming family, living in Marshfield and Wausau, before the family settled in Greenwood in 1941. After completing his education, he worked on the family farm until moving to Illinois to farm. Hammy returned to Greenwood, and was united in marriage to Delores A. Poznanski on April 7, 1956, at St. Mary' Catholic Church. He then entered the U.S. Army on April 25, 1956, and served until his honorable discharge on January 24, 1958. After returning from his service in the military, Hammy and Delores took over the operation of his family farm in 1958. They farmed until their son Mark, and his wife Bev, took over the farming operation in 1993, but Hammy continued to help out on the farm until 2017.

He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and its Holy Name Society. In the past he served on the board for the Greenwood Co-op, was a dealer for CSF electric feed carts, and removed snow for the City of Greenwood for several years. He was in charge of the Greenwood Dairy Days tractor pull for many years, was previously voted FFA Farmer of the Year, and was awarded the Greenwood Dairy Days Parade Marshall.

Hammy had many interests, but especially loved spending time with his family and friends, deer hunting, junking, watching the Green Bay Packers, and playing Sheepshead with his family.

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Delores, of Greenwood; his four children: Laura Brey Gardner (John Gardner) of Owen, Marsha Brey of Neillsville, Mark (Bev) Brey of Greenwood, and Kim (Roger) Ehlers of Greenwood; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters: Bernice Klier and Jean Griesbach, both of Sheboygan; one sister-in-law: Margaret "Peg" Brey of Neillsville; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Hammy was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers: Wallace "Wally" and Daniel Brey; and one sister: Norma Sinner.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 13, 2023, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Greenwood. Rev. Emmanuel Famiyeh will officiate, and burial will follow in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jeremy Gardner, Taylor Ehlers, Ryan Ehlers, Jesse Dale, Ethan Brey and Brian Nigon. Military rites will be conducted by the Greenwood American Legion Post #238. Visitation will be held at Cuddie Funeral Home, in Greenwood, on Thursday, January 12 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and again on Friday, at the church, from 10 a.m. until time of service.