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John E Bresland

July 7, 1941 — March 5, 2020

John E Bresland

John E.  Bresland,  age  79, of  Silver  Springs, Florida,  passed  away  on  March 5 at  the  William  E. Christoffersen  Assisted  Living  Center  with  his  daughter  by  his  side.  John was  deeply  loved,  well taken care of  and  enjoyed  living  near  the mountains  in Salt  Lake  City.  He  would  often  say  that he was  happy  to  finally  experience  life  in  the  “wild,  wild  west.”

John enlisted in  the  US  Navy  at  age 18  and  for  the next  several  years  supported  missions  of  the USS Boxer  aircraft  carrier.  After  being  honorably  discharged,  John moved  home  to  Chicago and went  to  work  for  International  Harvester  (now  Navistar),  where he  worked  as  a  machinist  until his  retirement  25  years  later.  Thereafter  John  moved to  the  sunny  climate  of  Silver  Springs, Florida  and  enjoyed many  good friends,  a  variety  of  girlfriends,  his  dog,  Brandy,  and  his  lovingly restored  fishing boat  for  many  happy  and  healthy  years.  Late in  his  life,  John suffered  from Alzheimer’s  disease. But  that  didn’t  stop  him  from  enjoying  scenic  drives  to  the  Silver  Fork Lodge  for  cobbler  and  a  beer,  walking through  gardens  on  sunny  days,  visiting  museums, watching westerns  and  playing with his  otter-dog,  Brandy,  “the best  dog  in  the world.”

John was  born in  Roseland,  a  neighborhood  on  Chicago’s  south  side,  on  July  7,  1941  to  the late Edward J.  and  Irene  (Luinstra)  Bresland.  He  was close  with his  siblings,  Annabelle (late  Paul) Arrivo, Judy  (Neil)  Kelliher, Joan  (Richard)  Thomas,  Marilyn  (late  Lou)  Coda,  and  Bonnie (late Chuck)  LeRose.  John’s  sisters  watched  over  their  little  brother  while he grew  up,  and  John returned that  affection  for  the entirety  of  his  life.   

Waiting  to  welcome  John  into Heaven—as  well as  direct  him  to  the  nearest  fishing hole—are his parents,  his  beautiful  sisters  Joan  (Richard)  Thomas  and  Marilyn  (late  Lou)  Coda,  William  (Bill) Bresland  and  his  partner  in crime  and  best  friend  (older  brother)  Frank  Bresland.  Throughout  his life,  John  remembered his  siblings  fondly,  especially  his sister (and  lifelong pen-pal)  Judy.  John also had  childhood  friends  who  were  like  family:  Carl  and Lynda  Colby  of  Orland Park,  Illinois. Carl  and Lynda  never  lost  touch with  John.  Their  love  for  him  was  a  gift.   

Surviving to  mourn John’s  passing are his  children,  Linda  (Rodney)  Folkmann of  Salt  Lake  City, UT and John  (Eula Biss)  R.  Bresland  of  Evanston,  IL.  John  has  one step daughter,  Lorrie (Roy) Kenseth,  who  was  supportive from  afar  throughout  John’s  long  illness.  John was  deeply  proud of  his  children,  and  his  four  extraordinary  grandchildren:  Madeline (Carl)  Randol  (herself  a  proud US  Military  Veteran),  Ben and Jenna  Kanjo  and  Juneau  Bresland.

John will  be  laid to  rest  at  the Utah  Veterans  Cemetery  Memorial  Park  in  Bluffdale,  Utah.  A moment  of  remembrance will  take place  at  the  memorial  park  at  2 pm  on  Tuesday,  July 7th.

A  special  thank  you  goes  out  to  the  extraordinary  long term  caregivers  at  the  William  E. Christoffersen  Assisted  Living  Center  in  Salt  Lake  City  and  the entire  hospice team  at  Wasatch Hospice. 

  *

Love  Is  Immortal  

“Life is  eternal,  and  love is  immortal,  and  death  is  only  a  horizon;  and  a horizon  is  nothing save the limit  of  our  sight.”  --By  Rossiter  Worthington  Raymond

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Past Services

Graveside Service

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Starts at 2:00 pm (Mountain time)

Utah Veterans Memorial Park

17111 So 1700 W, Bluffdale, UT 84065

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