Brueggemann, Alan C.

October 26, 1934 – August 19, 2020

Beloved husband of Sally Brueggemann (nee Stieb) for over 50 years; loving father of John Brueggemann, Mary (Eric) Koestner and Mark Brueggemann; dear grandfather of Natalie, Ella and Lance Koestner; dear son of the late Clifford and Peggy Brueggemann; sister to the late Joan Skelton and our dearest uncle, great uncle, brother-in-law, cousin and friend to many.

Al was born in St. Louis, Missouri to the parents of Clifford and Peggy Brueggemann. He grew up in the city on Bates Street in a two-family flat. He spent many weekends riding his bike to the park, with a bat and glove in hand, looking for a game of pick up baseball. Later, they moved further out of the city to Shrewsbury, to the house with a white picket fence, and then attended Webster Groves High School.

After high school, he joined the army. He always said he hit the jackpot because he was stationed in London, England at the end of the Korean War. He was the meteorologist and responsible for blowing smoke to disguise the airfield. Best of all, he got to play a lot of baseball!

After two years in the army, he started college at Westminster College. He joined the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and played baseball for the school. Later, he transferred to Central Methodist University, where he graduated with a teaching degree. He played a lot of ball there too. He made many life-long friends along the way who he always kept close to heart.

He got a teaching job in Granite City as a PE teacher. During the summers, he earned his Masters degree at Mizzou, and as you may guess, played a lot of baseball. He met his wife while teaching and they settled in St. Louis.

He continued playing a lot of baseball/softball. He played for the First Methodist team at Blackburn park for over 50+ years. He also played for Emmanuel Church and Our Lady of Providence. The umpires often teased him about his tattered cleats and his khaki pants. He finally hung up his cleats at age 75 and quickly transitioned to babysitting duties for his grandkids.

He also played tennis, basketball, volleyball and an occasional round of golf. He was always up for a bike ride, whether it was in the mountains, at Forest Park or just the neighborhood route. He was one of the few from his high school class to ride his bike in the Webster Groves Fourth of July parade, commemorating their 60th class reunion.

He was an all-around sports enthusiast. And while he loved the St. Louis Cardinals, he was just as big a fan of local high school and college sports.

He was quietly his kids’ biggest cheerleader. He shared many life lessons about staying fit, driving the speed limit, finding a sport for life and investing in your 401(k) (just because you have the money, doesn’t mean you need to spend it!), and many more. He was always looking for ways to help them out, whether it be yard work, painting, or other random projects. Although his athletic talents may have skipped a generation, he always encouraged and coached his kids in sports.

The family spent many days at his beloved farm, horseback-riding, cruising in the old Valiant, riding motorcycles, driving the tractor or just enjoying the amazing view. He always had fond memories with his nieces and nephews growing up on the farm and stayed close to them over the years.

The family had many travel adventures ranging from climbing Pikes Peak, road tripping to the beach with the Stieb side of the family, and Shakertown. In later years, he and Sally traveled all over, enjoying every little town along the way.

He was adored by his three grandchildren, Natalie, Ella, and Lance. He often carried a set of dice, a pocket watch and a stopwatch in his pocket, always looking for the teachable moments in life, from learning their math facts to telling time to a fun card game or jog around the track. He always came with a new drill for them to work on, starting with the long jump as soon as they could walk, the mountain climber, wheel barrel and even perfected their cartwheel. He loved to play pool and ping pong with them in the basement. He got a kick out of having picnics in the back of the pick-up truck and loved sitting with them in the evening in front of the fireplace.

In his later years, he spent most of his mornings reading the newspaper, checking the stock market, and walking the track. He always looked forward to the Friday Steak-n-Shake lunches with the guys. He was a self-described straight arrow. For him, the best things in life never cost a lot of money. He never wanted for anything, but time with family and friends. He was a kind and selfless man. He was self-disciplined and never had a drop of alcohol. He was a great friend and neighbor to many.

After a long life of excellent health, his time to go came quicker than he wanted. He handled it with grace and never complained. He always asked about everyone else and wanted to make sure they were okay. He had a dry sense of humor up until his last day. He will forever be greatly missed.

A small private memorial mass for family and close friends will be held at Our Lady of Providence Catholic Church (8866 Pardee Road, 63123) on Friday, August 28 at 10:00 a.m. (Masks and Social Distancing Required). In lieu of flowers, memorials to the American Lung Association, Westminster College, or Central Methodist University are appreciated. A service of Kutis Affton.