Thelma "Molly" V. (Moyer) Brensinger

Thelma (Molly) Brensinger
February 28, 2025

My beautiful life on earth ended February 28, 2025, when angel wings fluttered into my room at Orwigsburg Nursing and Rehab Center and carried me home to the presence of Jesus. I lived a full long life, which began on June 21, 1929, in a small home in Auburn. I was the daughter of Roy and Iva Moyer, and had 5 siblings, all of whom have gone before me: Paul, Minerva, Ernest, Evelyn (Eppie) and Ina.  
In my younger years I was a girl scout, worked as a “soda jerk” at Scrappy’s ice cream stand, and for one year of high school, was the leading scorer on my basketball team. In my later teen years, I worked at Gem Undergarment Company in Auburn an hour before school each day. I graduated from Auburn High School as salutatorian of my class!
But let me back up a few years and introduce you to someone. When I was just thirteen, a handsome man named Earl Brensinger winked at me! We eventually began dating, and at my eighteenth birthday party we announced our engagement. It was during this courtship that I was nicknamed “Molly” by Earl’s dad. The name stuck and I was affectionately called “Aunt Molly” by many until my last breath. Earl and I married on Easter Sunday, 1948, and we moved in with Earl’s family on the large Brensinger family farm in South Manheim Township. I was then working at Winn-Ann factory. 
While Earl served our nation in the Korean War, I briefly moved to Sch. Haven. Upon his return, we moved back to the farm and got to work baling hay and raising thousands of ducks. And that’s not all we raised….we started our family!  Our son Wayne was born in 1957 and our daughter Elaine in 1960. We had a millionaire family, and I thoroughly enjoyed being a mom! Sadly, our fairytale story ended too soon when Earl unexpectedly passed on Oct 29, 1968. So, now I was a single mom with the monumental task of caring for two children who relied solely on me. That was a huge responsibility!  I became employed as a seamstress for Argo Corporation in Sch Haven and also as the Secretary for South Manheim Township and the Township’s Planning and Zoning Committee. With the help of God, a “whatever it takes” mentality, and a strong network of friends and family, I got through some difficult years; but my family thrived, and our children were able to complete college without me having to borrow even a cent! Seeing the “fruits of my labor” was rewarding beyond words. For me, it was just “what a mother does,” but according to my children,  I was their hero. 
When I got to retirement age, I was able to fully enjoy my role as a Grandma!  Babysitting my grandchildren brought me most of life’s greatest joys. I have six incredible grandchildren and 14 adorable great-grandchildren (with two more on the way this spring). Let me introduce you to them: Wayne (married to Rachel) lives next to me in South Manheim Twp and has three beautiful daughters: Erin (married to Donnie Habe), Brandy (married to Kevin Bogacki), and Becky (married to Mike Colarik). Elaine (married to Allen Maneval) lives on the other side of me and also has three beautiful children: Kayla (married to Jonathon Hollahan), and twins Matthew and Danielle (married to Nicholas Cannella). I can honestly say that the greatest earthly memories I hold, outside of my years with Earl, come from moments with my grandchildren and great grandchildren.  “Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged.” Proverbs 17:6a.
In addition to my immediate family, dozens of very special nieces & nephews, grandnieces & grandnephews, and yes, even great grandnieces & great grandnephews carry on behind me. Now you will understand why I feel so blessed! A large incredible family, all because a young man winked at me!  
My hobbies have changed over the years as I enjoyed canning, cooking, doing embroidery work, viewing (and yes even attending) WWF matches, completing puzzles, collecting bells and ladybugs, watching game shows, and doing word search puzzles.  You may remember some of my favorites: Music: Jim Nabors, Dino Kartsonakis, the Couriers;  Color-blue; Flower-red rose; Pet-Heidi my St Bernard; Childhood activities-jump rope and hop scotch; Food-pot pie and hot dogs; Ice cream- pineapple and butter pecan; Fictional characters: Grover and Eeyore; Place to visit-Hawaii; Movie-Gone with the Wind; Book-The Bible; Food to cook-fried potatoes; TV: I faithfully watched Robert Schuller and never missed a Billy Graham Crusade, which explains my favorite hymn-“Just as I am.” For those who know me well, there are no surprises there!
But I wonder what you will remember most about me. Will it be the bell collection exceeding 1,000 pieces, or the delectable huge home-cooked meals I would prepare to feed dozens of hunters, or maybe the unforgettable annual family egg hunts and fishing rodeos, or perhaps it will be my homemade pot pie, pineapple ice cream, or cut out cookies; maybe it is the family game nights or Hossie card marathons, or perhaps my continual requests for back scratches, my mumblings of “Whatever,” or…simply my contagious memorable laugh or heart-warming  smile across the room. 
But if you ask my family what they remember most, I know what they will say. It was the selfless unending sacrificial dedication to them which manifested itself in more ways than could ever be written here; it would be the determination, tenacity and will of a mother to carry on solo, the passion of a grandmother to do whatever it takes to help her children care for their children, and it would be a faith that demonstrated love as Jesus would. I would humbly reply that it was all only possible because I loved them so deeply; I was truly blessed until the very last day of breath.
So, let’s talk about those final years.  As I aged, a debilitating disease known as Alzheimer’s sneaked into my life.  I won’t lie; this took a toll on me. For the last few years, I have had 24-hour care but was blessed to remain in my home with a dedicated and loving team of family, caregivers and hospice. Two months ago, however, my health required a transfer to a local nursing facility. The disease progressed and I was ready to leave this earth. Some people may say Alzheimer’s “won,” or that I “lost the battle.”  Well, let me set them straight!  Friends, I won this battle, not the disease, because I am now standing with Jesus in Heaven, for all eternity! That is a victory! That disease may have taken my body, but it could never take my eternity! 
So, now that I am no longer with you, you may wish to remember me in some way.  My family and I would be deeply honored. I respectfully ask that in lieu of flowers a donation be provided to one of the following: the church where I was married and remained a lifetime member- St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1185 Summerhill Rd Auburn, PA 17922;  or to Compassus Hospice, 500 Hawk Ridge Drive, Suite 4, Hamburg, PA 19526. Simply earmark donations in my memory. Or, you all know I love family farm! Feel free to reach out to family members and make arrangements to plant a tree in my memory on the farm; the H. L. Snyder Funeral Home can connect you with them. (**PLEASE NOTE: The memorial trees purchased on our website are through the website only and are planted throughout the United States where needed and will not go to Thelma's family farm.  If you wish to plant a tree on Thelma's family farm, you will have to reach out to either her daughter or son to do that.)
But the best thing you can do is to spend eternity with me! All we really take to Heaven are the people we can point to Jesus. So, I would love if you’d honor me in the best way possible- accept Jesus as your Savior and then I will see you again and we can sit around and chat about the good ‘ol days together!
You can say a final earthly goodbye to me on Saturday March 8th. The H. L. Snyder Funeral Home, Inc., Pine Grove will be handing services at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1185 Summerhill Rd Auburn. My viewing will be from 9 to 11 AM, with a celebration of life service to follow at 11 AM; thereafter, my body will be placed in its final resting place, next to Earl, at Summer Hill cemetery. It will be a celebration, friends, so come prepared to share a wonderful memory so the room can be filled with smiles, love, and warmth rather than tears and sadness. If you cannot attend, memories can be shared at www.hlsnyderfuneralhome.com.  Thank you for loving me for 95 years.  See you in Heaven!

**PLEASE NOTE: The memorial trees purchased on our website are through the website only and are planted throughout the United States where needed and will not go to Thelma's family farm.  If you wish to plant a tree on Thelma's family farm, you will have to reach out to either her daughter or son to do that.  I apologize for any confusion.

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