Dr. Rosamond Deborah (Drooker) Brenner

Dr. Rosamond Deborah Drooker Brenner played her final note on April 25, 2025, at the age of 94 in Elmhurst, IL. She was a gifted keyboard artist, an accomplished composer and a beloved teacher. She was born on March 23, 1931, in Cambridge, MA, to Abraham Lazarus and Mary Jacobs Drooker, who introduced her to the piano at age 5, the start of a lifelong passion.  Rosamond graduated from Brookline High School (1949), Radcliffe College (1953, B.A. cum laude) and the Harvard Graduate School of Education (1954, M.A. in Teaching). She trained on organ and harpsichord in Vienna, Austria upon receiving a Fulbright Fellowship (1954-1956) and then earned professional certification in organ from the Geneva Conservatory in Switzerland (1959). Her education culminated with a Ph.D. in Music History from Brandeis University (1968). She taught music at the university level in Boston, MA and Chicago, IL and gave private instruction to budding keyboard instrumentalists of all ages, adults and children alike, for over 35 years.  She also directed choir and played organ at various Chicago-area houses of worship and brought her musical talents to many weddings and events. And she composed and performed numerous of her own solo piano pieces, recording 6 CDs between 1999 and 2024.

Rosamond was the cherished mother of Dr. Tamara Brenner (Elmhurst, IL; Russell), Kendra Kroll (Palatine, IL; James), and Dr. Lyle Brenner (Gainesville, FL; Samantha); devoted grandmother of Angelina Kroll and Danielle Brenner; and beloved aunt and cousin to many.  She was pre-deceased by her brother, Harold Drooker, and her former husband, Dr. Alfred Brenner, with whom she shared life for 29 years, residing in Belmont, MA and Glen Ellyn, IL.  For her independent second act, Rosamond moved to Wilmette, IL, home to the only Baha’i Temple in the United States, which played a prominent role in her life after her declaration of faith in 1971.

Rosamond was a generous and patient soul who looked for and brought out the best in others. Her positivity and humor were remarkable, and her zest for life infectious. She enjoyed travel to numerous destinations near and far over many decades and maintained a sense of inquisitiveness and joy throughout her life.  Despite physical departure, her beautiful spirit lives on through her music, like a lamp full of light.

A memorial service for Rosamond will be held at the Bahá'í House of Worship, 100 Linden Ave, Wilmette, IL, on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 11 am CT.

Suggested organizations for memorial contributions: WFMT (Chicago's Classical and Folk Music Radio) or Union of Concerned Scientists.

Music on this page composed and performed by Rosamond Brenner: Love is Like a Fountain; Communion; Mercy. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dr. Rosamond Deborah (Drooker) Brenner, please visit our floral store.