Richard L Brandner, 67, of Herreid, SD, died January 1, 2025 in Bismarck, ND under hospice care after a yearlong battle with cancer.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at St. Michael Catholic Church, Herreid, SD with Fr. Mark Axtmann officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 5pm to 7pm on Friday, January 10, 2025 at the church.  There will be a vigil/rosary at 7pm on Friday at the church.

Richard Leo was born November 3,1957 in Hoven, SD to Edward and Dorothy (Schubert) Brandner.  Richard grew up north of Herreid and learned how to help and work hard on the family farm. He also had a lot of fun just being a kid and riding motorcycle. He was always wrenching and working on cars. Richard ran track and cross country in high school.  The summer of his junior year in 1975, Richard began working for Sayler Harvesting of Artas. This was something he did for several harvest seasons.

In May 1976, Richard graduated from Herreid High School. He attended the University of South Dakota at Springfield and graduated in 1978 with a degree in mechanics. Richard moved to Buffalo, Mn to live with his grandparents, Clara and Alfred Schubert, while working at Monticello Ford as a mechanic for one year.  For the harvest season of 1981, Richard purchased his own machine, partnered with Chester and Carol Sayler and ran his own crew for a few years.  In 1984, he and his brother, Ted, formed Brandner Bros. Harvesting. His brothers and his dad proved to be valuable and trusted employees and partners.  During the off season, Richard wintered several years in Kansas working a variety of jobs as a mechanic, grain hauler and meat processer.

Moving back to South Dakota in 1989, he met Terri Hulm in November 1989; the couple married in Hague, ND on April 20, 1991. To this marriage was born Kevin in 1992 and Thomas in 1996.  In 1991, the four brothers combined the harvesting and trucking businesses with the farm to become a partnership.  Richard, Ted, Bill and Pete began hauling livestock in the winter and custom combining in the summer and fall and eventually phased out the combining to become Brandner Bros. Trucking around 1996 hauling cattle across the Midwest.  The brothers worked together farming and raising cattle while running their trucking business and though they were busy as ever, they worked together while teaching their children to work hard and work together.  In 2010, PIC-APEX, Mound City, needed drivers and Brandner Bros. Trucking answered that call. In 2022, Richard and Terri's son, Kevin, joined the trucking business.

Richard had a million miles of driving experience and enjoyed the camaraderie of working alongside his brothers and his many trucker friends. Richard was a hard worker. He was dedicated to making the family business run smoothly. He could fix about any vehicle related issue.

Richard was a wonderful husband and father. He enjoyed teasing his wife about everything……especially saying it was one year less than the actual years they were married.

He was a member of St. Michael Church in Herreid and rarely missed Mass. Richard enjoyed playing pinochle at the Super stop and telling jokes.

Diagnosed with cancer in Jan. 2024, Richard valiantly fought to live and as he was able, puttered in the shop on the family farm. It gave him a purpose and was something he could do to be helpful when he was no longer able to drive.

Richard is survived by his wife of 33 years, Terri, sons, Kevin, Herreid and Thomas, Watertown; mother, Dorothy Brandner, Strasburg, ND; sisters, Susan Brandner, Fairbanks, Ak, Tess (John) Novotny, Eden Prairie, Mn and Doris Brandner, Richfield, Mn; brothers, Ted Brandner, Bill (Julie) Brandner and Pete Brandner, Herreid, brother-in-law, Andrew G. and Lisa Hulm, Hague, ND; five sister-in-law's, Linda and Curt Jabs, Mandan, Madonna Schmidt, Bismarck, Mary Schwab, Bismarck, Dora and Gary Schumacher, Bismarck and Doreen and Jeff Schumacher, Bismarck and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded by his father, Edward, parents-in-law, Andrew and Hilda Hulm and nephews, Justin Brandner and Bobby Schumacher.