Herbert "Hub" Brantner

Herbert “Hub” Brantner was born August 14, 1928 at Dixon, Illinois at the house of Jess and Mary Brantner, Hub’s paternal aunt and uncle. (Ronald Reagan was a senior in high school in Dixon at the time.) He was the 6th of 10 children of Benjamin Michael and Hassie Mae (White) Brantner, named after President Herbert Hoover. While in the 6th grade, Hub made his profession of faith in Christ and was baptized in the Lanark Church of the Brethren by Rev. ID Leatherman. He was raised on a farm east of Lanark, Illinois in Carroll County. He attended Maple Grove country school for his first 8 grades and then graduated from Lanark Community Schools in 1946. In high school he played basketball and ran track. In 1946 he won the half-mile and mile races at the Carroll County track meet. He was in the senior class play, and sang tenor in the choir for 2 years,

He enlisted in the Army several months after high school graduation in 1946 and took his basic training in Ft. Dix, New Jersey. He was stationed in Ft. Monmouth, NJ and then was stationed at Ft. Lewis near Tacoma Washington. While stationed in Tacoma, he was part of the 8th Army track team and won the half-mile race in 1948 in Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, California. He was discharged in 1948 but remained in the inactive reserves.

In 1948, he enrolled at Northern Illinois University and began classes in September of that year, majoring in school administration. At the beginning of his third year at NIU, he was recalled to active duty to the 25th Infantry Division of I CORP and became a decorated radio communication specialist. He became engaged to Harriett Geneva Eadie in September 1950, the month he shipped out. He served in Korea for over 2 years in combat. While there, 23,000 Americans died. He was honorably discharged in 1952.

He returned home and began farming with his father on the home farm east of Lanark. He and Hattie were married on June 28, 1952 at the United Presbyterian Church in Hanover, Illinois. They honeymooned in Colorado Springs, CO for a week and returned to the farm. Hattie began teaching school at Lanark in the fall of 1952, starting in 1st grade and then moving to 3rd grade. The couple had two children: Peter LaClare, born in Freeport, Illinois on May 21, 1956. Elizabeth Anne Brantner (Betsy) was born in Freeport on April 11, 1959.

Hub and Hattie were very active in the Lanark Church of the Brethren, serving in various capacities (Hub: Sunday School Teacher, Deacon, C.R.O.P. (Christian Rural Overseas Program).

Hub and Hattie farmed in partnership with his brother Sam (Samuel Alfred) and his wife, Thelma for 32-years. They had stock cows, fed cattle, and raised hay and grain. Hub was active in the National Farmers Organization for many years during the 1960’s and 1970’s, serving as county president and in other capacities. In 1985, Hattie died of cancer.

On July 29th, 1990, Hub married Velma M. McCombie of Savanna, Illinois and the two settled in Savanna, later moving to a residence on the Mississippi River near Thomson, Illinois. Joining the family was Velma’s children: Terry (Marion) McCombie, Tim (Jen) McCombie, Gerald (Jaime) McCombie, and Johnna (Tom) Richardson.

Hub and Velma were members of the York Baptist Church in Thomson, Illinois.

Velma passed away unexpectedly on February 20, 2013 .

While married to Velma, Hub retired from farming but remained active in Carroll County. He helped form the Carroll County Senior Center, located in Mt. Carroll and was president of that board for 6
years. For over 20 years, Hub was active with other seniors in the community through fundraising activities by recycling newspaper and aluminum to purchase the current Senior Center facility.

He was an active member of the American Legion for over 60 years, first in Post 357 in Lanark and then in Post 148 in Savanna. He served as Post Commander in each of these posts. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 2223 in Savanna. Hub drove the Veterans Van from Savanna to Iowa City several times a month for 14 years, transporting veterans to Iowa City for medical care needs.

Hub was recognized by the Masonic Lodge in Savanna in 2005 through their “Community Builders Award” in recognition of outstanding service to the community. He was a member of the Carroll County Mounted Patrol for 25 years. He was a member of the board of directors of the Lanark Mutual Fire Insurance Company for over 20 years.

After Velma’s passing, Hub moved to Lenox, Iowa, residing at the Lenox Care Center near his son, Peter and his family for the last 4 years of his life. Hub attended church at the United Presbyterian Church in Lenox while there.

Hub is survived by Peter (Kim) of Lenox, Iowa, granddaughter Lindsay (Shane) Stoaks and their children Laramie, Laney and Hallie; Betsy (David) Smith of Tuscon, and their children ; Alexa Morelli, Blake (Dani) Johnson, and children Sloan and Vaughn, and Britt Smith and Tristen Smith; Terry (Marion) McCombie of Tuscon, Az, and children: Jessica (Alberto) Peralta and Vanessa and Vanessa (Brandon) Sharp and families; Tim (Jen) McCombie and their children: Justin Paris, Jake McCombie, Sami Rodriquez, and families and Austin, Kelden, Ian and Ryker McCombie; Gerald (Jamie) McCombie of Savanna, IL, and children: Dana(Darrell) Hicks, Morgan (Nathan) Wurster, John and Josie; Johnna (Tom) Richardson of Panama City, FL and Ryan (Kamie) Richardson, Daniyal (Shane) Christian, and John Thomas Richardson.

Also surviving Hub are his sisters Mary (Lou) Henson of Champaign, IL and Becky (Virgil) Coomes of Freeport, IL., sisters-in-law Carolee Zuck Brantner of Freeport, IL and Ann Marie Brantner of Naples, FL and brother-in-law Don Earp of Galesburg, IL and 25-nieces and nephews.

Preceding Hub in death were his parents, Ben and Hassie Mae Brantner, sisters Marcella (Carl) Earnest , Shirley (Dean) Miller, and Carole Earp and brothers Samuel (Thelma) , Max (Elizabeth) , Chester, and Robert (Carrie) Brantner.

The family requests no flowers. Memorials can be left to the Carroll County Senior Center, 603 N. Main St. Mt. Carroll, IL 61053 or the United Charitable Association’s Transitional Housing Project for Women and Children in Lenox, Iowa: PO Box 402, Creston, IA 50801