She and her late husband, Paul W. Brandel, helped launch and fund numerous Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) ministries and educational endeavors benefiting people around the world.
Bernice was born May 10, 1914, in Chicago. She was married to Henry F. Stege in 1943. The couple lived in Barrington, Illinois, and enjoyed their hobby farm, Following 32 years ofr marriage, Henry passed away in 1975. She married Paul Brandel on January 3, 1976. He died in 1986.
“I often say that success may be about the life we live, but significance is about what lives on because of the life we live,” said ECC President Gary Walter. “Unquestionably, Bernice lived a life of tremendous significance. She invested in people and causes that will live on, impacting this world with the hope of Christ. Hers was a life lived well, for God’s glory and neighbor’s good.”
“The list of ministries that greatly benefited from Bernice’s vision and extraordinary generosity are too long to name,” said Donn Engebretson, executive vice president.
The top photo, taken during a dedication ceremony this past March 20 for the new Town Center at Covenant Village of Northbrook, includes (from left) David Dwight, president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence; Bernice Brandel; Neil Warnygora, executive director of the Northbrook facility; and Rick Fisk, president of Covenant Retirement Communities. The lower photo was taken as she addressed those attending the annual Swedish Covenant Hospital Gala – CEO Mark Newton is in the background.
“The passing of an era is a good way to describe the recent home going of our friend, Bernice,” said Charles Walles, president of Covenant Trust Company, where Bernice served as an original member of the Board of Directors. “Her indomitable spirit, her faith in Christ, and forever positive attitude I will miss so very much. Whatever definition of friendship you wish to apply, Bernice exceeded it. Her generosity should be an example of stewardship that continues for a long, long time.”
Noting that Bernice also had served as a strong member of the Covenant Board of Benevolence, Dwight praised her as “a wonderful supporter of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence who was very instrumental in its work.”
“Bernice was supportive of all things Covenant, but her greatest interest was in supporting pastors,” said former ECC President Glenn Palmberg. “She loved the idea of training the next generation of Covenant pastors.”
Brandel funded between two to four Presidential Scholarships for seminary students every year. The scholarships fully fund the student’s tuition.
Brandel was committed to furthering pastors’ continuing education. Every year she funded one or more book titles given to each pastor at the Midwinter Conference. “The libraries of Covenant pastors are filled with great books that have strengthened and deepened their ministries through the warm generosity of this wonderful servant of the church.”
She received recommendations from Covenant leaders about possible titles to donate and read every book under consideration. “She not only wanted to give quality books, she wanted to read quality books,” Palmberg said.
Paul Brandel was long known for his generosity before marrying Bernice, but she continued his legacy. She lived by the biblical credo, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” notes Mel Soderstrom, a longtime family friend and executive director of North Park University’s President’s Club in the school’s Office of Development.
The Brandels were both committed to education and had given donations to the university and North Park Theological Seminary since at least 1956, Soderstrom says.
Following Paul’s death, Bernice was the lead donor for construction of the Paul W. and Bernice P. Brandel Library, which was dedicated in 2001. They also fully or partially funded three endowed professorship chairs at the university and seminary.
“Bernice was an outstanding benefactor for North Park,” says President David Parkyn. “She has made an incredible difference in the lives of students both at the university and the seminary.”
John Phelan, seminary president and dean, noted her interest in all aspects of life. “Lunch with Bernice meant a wide-ranging conversation that could include the situation of the church in Sweden, the economy and politics in the United States, or theological and biblical questions. She was generous with her financial resources, but her greatest gift to those of us who knew her was herself.”
Covenant News Service will publish additional information as it becomes available.
