Darwin Earl Bruesewitz

Darwin Earl Bruesewitz, 66, of Isle, Minnesota, died at home after a 22-year battle with cancer. Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 14, 2015 at 11 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Milaca. Interment will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery in Milaca. Visitation will be from 5 – 7 PM Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church and 1 hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Darwin Bruesewitz was born in Osage, Iowa to Earl and Dora Bruesewitz on June 29, 1949. He grew up in Osage and was baptized and confirmed at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. After graduating high school he went to Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa where he met Jeannine Tonneson. Following graduation from Waldorf they both transferred to Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Both years Darwin sang in the Concert Choir under the direction of Paul J. Christiansen. On June 26, 1971, Darwin married Jeannine at Dovre Lutheran in Newburg, North Dakota. They moved to Milaca, Minnesota that fall and joined Trinity Lutheran Church. Darwin began his 34-year teaching career in Ogilvie, Minnesota. For nine years he taught music to first through twelfth graders. In 1980 he started teaching in Milaca. At first he had two elementary grades in addition to three high school choirs. Most years the Concert Choir earned superior ratings at contest. Twice they were selected to perform for the Minnesota Music Educators convention. The Milaca Swing Choir was under Darwin's direction for fourteen years. He loved putting together entertaining shows. They performed locally, and also for a state principals convention, a Viking half-time show and "America Sings" in Washington D.C. During his 25 years at Milaca he was a member of MMEA and the American Choral Directors Association. For one year he was the Northeast Chair of ACDA. He was the 2002-2003 Teacher of the Year for Milaca. In 1994 Darwin and Jeannine moved to Mille Lakes Lake. He enjoyed living at the lake and fishing. They became active members of Bethesda Lutheran Church in Malmö, Minnesota. After several years he became the choir director. Darwin dearly loved his family and friends and relished time spent together. Working with music was his passion. He loved the process of teaching and creating music with his choirs. He used music to speak, to entertain, and to encourage others and himself.