Ceremonies began in Shehadey Dining Hall, then proceeded to the library. Speakers included Steve's father, Jake; his daughter, Hannah; former teacher and longtime friend Paul Toews, history faculty and director of the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies; and Kevin Enns-Rempel, archivist and history faculty. "It was said of Solomon that he built a temple for his people," Toews said. "We might say of Steve that he built his people a temple of learning."
Born in Kansas, Brandt earned a B.A. from FPU in 1971 and joined the library staff in 1980, becoming director in 1982. He was also a member of the history faculty. He earned a master's in divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and both a master's in library and information studies and a doctorate in historical bibliography from the University of California, Berkeley. Brandt died in 2004 at age 55.