07/24/2026
Clyde Herbert Brainard
Clyde Herbert Brainard, age 87, of Columbia, Tennessee, entered into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 20, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Born on November 25, 1938, in Flint, Michigan, Clyde was the son of Herbert and Leona Brainard. He spent his childhood in Michigan, where he learned the values that would define his life: hard work, honesty, humility, and faithfulness.
In December 1955, Clyde enlisted in the United States Navy, faithfully serving his country until June 1969. During those years, he and his beloved wife built their first home together while stationed in Rhode Island, Virginia, California, and Wisconsin. His military career ended with a medical retirement following a severe ankle injury.
On August 16, 1958, Clyde married Ilene Pearl Kinsel, the love of his life. Together they shared nearly sixty-eight years of devoted marriage, raising their family and building a home wherever God led them. Following his military service, they lived in various locations around the country where Clyde served in the church-planting ministry. In 1982, they moved to Texas, then spent a few years in Washington, before settling in Tennessee in 1993, where they spent the remainder of their years together.
Clyde graduated from Midwestern Baptist College in Pontiac, Michigan and was ordained to the ministry in 1975. He faithfully pastored four churches before returning to his trade as a journeyman machinist. Gifted with both his hands and his mind, he became known for mastering virtually every machine in the shop and later learned computer-aided machine design. Whether in the pulpit, the machine shop, or among friends and neighbors, he approached every task with excellence, humility, and quiet dedication.
More than anything else, Clyde will be remembered for the man he was.
He was kind without seeking recognition, generous without expecting repayment, compassionate toward those who were hurting, and patient with those searching for answers. His steady presence brought peace to his family and confidence to those who depended on him. He loved deeply, served quietly, and remained faithful through every season of life. Those who knew him best found in him a rare combination of strength and gentleness.
Clyde's faith in Jesus Christ was the foundation of his life. It began with a simple childhood prayer around the family dinner table and grew into a lifelong trust in the goodness and sovereignty of God. He loved reading the Scriptures, especially Psalm 103, and found great comfort in its promises of forgiveness, mercy, steadfast love, and redemption. His favorite hymn, And Can It Be by Charles Wesley, beautifully expressed the gratitude he carried in his heart for the grace of God.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Ilene Pearl Brainard; his children, Mark (Jewell) Brainard and Lisa (Curtis) Crumb; fourteen cherished grandchildren: twenty-nine precious great-grandchildren; his sister Jenny (Paul) Gridley, and many extended family members and dear friends whose lives were enriched by his quiet example.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Leona Brainard; his brothers, Clarence and Duane Brainard; his sister, Marilyn; his beloved daughter, Karen Hendry; and his precious great-granddaughter, Aly Privette.
Clyde often believed that a faithful life was a man's greatest accomplishment. Those who knew him would say he accomplished exactly that. He loved God, loved his wife, loved his family, served others faithfully, and finished his race with the same quiet confidence that marked every day of his life.
While his family mourns his absence, they rejoice that his faith has become sight and that he now rests in the presence of the Savior whom he loved and trusted throughout his life.
Funeral services will be held at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens Funeral Home on July 29, 2026. Visitation at 9:00, service at 10:00 and Graveside at 11:00 am.
View Clyde Herbert Brainard's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.
