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Robert Dean Brunz

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Birth	:	13 Mar 1953 O'Neill, Holt County, Nebraska, USA
Death	:	18 Jan 2016 Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, USA
Burial	:	Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate	:	43.5421982, -96.6988983
Description	:	On Monday morning, January 18, 2016, Bob Brunz was being cared for by family at home, in Sioux Falls, SD. He was asked if he wanted to be moved to the breakfast table or the recliner. After a long pause, he said, ‘I don’t want to. I want to go some place with no pain’. Within a few minutes his heart abruptly stopped. He was set free, and met face-to-face, his lifelong pursuit, Jesus Christ. Robert Dean Brunz was born on March 13, 1953, in O’Neill, NE, to Emil and Emma (Neuharth) Brunz. He grew up on a farm near Burke,... Read More	On Monday morning, January 18, 2016, Bob Brunz was being cared for by family at home, in Sioux Falls, SD. He was asked if he wanted to be moved to the breakfast table or the recliner. After a long pause, he said, ‘I don’t want to. I want to go some place with no pain’. Within a few minutes his heart abruptly stopped. He was set free, and met face-to-face, his lifelong pursuit, Jesus Christ. Robert Dean Brunz was born on March 13, 1953, in O’Neill, NE, to Emil and Emma (Neuharth) Brunz. He grew up on a farm near Burke, SD and attended school there. At the age of eight, he heard about the saving grace of Jesus Christ while watching a Billy Graham crusade and accepted Him as his Savior. In a desire to be a pastor, he attended high school at Martin Luther Academy, in New Ulm, MN. While a sophomore, he started dating his lifelong sweetheart, Laurie Rathke. Six weeks later they found themselves discussing having a large family. Shortly after Bob graduated high school, he and Laurie were married on June 12, 1971, in Yankton, SD. Their first child came soon after. They lived in Minnesota for 7 years and moved to western Wisconsin in 1979. Bob worked hard at any and every job providing for his growing family, finding himself settling in route sales. Following a pivotal and ‘faith-building’ 9 months near Fort Dodge, Iowa, Bob and Laurie moved their family to Sioux Falls, SD in 1984 to start a job doing route sales for Frito Lay. Having experienced very meaningful Christian community in the form of small ‘church’ meetings in homes, they revisited those roots and started to do the same in Sioux Falls. This was the birth of what would end up being Christian Outreach Fellowship that he lead-pastored for over 30 years. Most of Bob’s time was filled with his Frito Lay job that required 60 to 70 plus hours a week and tending to the demanding needs of people under his pastoral care in their church. He struggled to fulfill his multiple roles as family provider, father, and shepherding the spiritual lives of others. Bob worked for Frito Lay for 11 years until an ankle injury in 1995 left him partially disabled. This began his journey with chronic pain. The last 20 years Bob spent involved in ministry in their Fellowship and some time at North American Baptist Seminary, where they credited to him 3 years of college for his years of ministry experience. While he enjoyed learning and sharing his experience with other students, he fundamentally believed that if God had called one for ministry, the capacity to fulfill that, depended primarily on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Bob’s passion for the greater church at large, drew him to invest in a network of other pastors in Sioux Falls. As a result, he benefitted from and had lasting influence on many. The last few years, his health had declined due to kidney failure and debilitating chronic pain from severe back issues. Most recently, the weakness and pain has seemed insurmountable to him, all while hoping for a kidney transplant. Bob wanted to leave an impacting legacy. His chief passion in life was Jesus Christ. The areas of life that his time was poured into were two-fold. He was a husband and fathered 14 children. His role as an extremely hard-working provider took most of his time. He was playful and rough-housed, expressed his love verbally and affectionately. He sometimes let the children be late for school to sneak them to Burger King outings alone with him. He prayed for and taught his children about Jesus and wants Him to be the source of their life. As his children married, he also embraced and treated their spouses as his own children. He gave and gained much joy in his numerous grandchildren. Bob’s time was also shared by his investment in people. He loved connecting with people no matter their baggage or place in life. One person worded it this way, "Bob lived a simple message. Everyone is valuable to God, and the gifts His Spirit gives to each one is valuable no matter what a person appears to be on the outside." His passion for God to move in the lives of people and in the church at large was the source for building relationships and mentoring which continues to have long-lasting effects. So grateful for his life are his sweetheart and wife of 44 years, Laurie; daughter, Shanna Anderson and her husband James, Sioux Falls, SD; daughter, Jessi Johnson and her husband Brett, Sioux Falls, SD; son, Caleb and his wife Stephanie, Woodbury, MN; son, Zadok and his wife Michelle, Gilbert AZ; son, Jonas and his wife Torie, Sioux Falls, SD; son, Jabez Brunz, Gilbert, AZ and Alison Brunz, Mesa, AZ; son, Josiah and his wife Cara, Sioux Falls, SD; daughter, Lizzy Doohen and her husband Scott, Sioux Falls, SD; son, Micah and his wife Becky, Sioux Falls, SD; daughter, Mariah Brunz, and her special friend Charlie Walters, Sioux Falls, SD; son, Daniel and his wife Regina, Albuquerque, NM; daughter, Naomi Dappen and her husband, Peter, Sioux Falls, SD; daughter, Bethany John and her husband Francis, Sioux Falls, SD; and 42 grandchildren; his brother, James and Fiance Barb Herder of Sioux Falls, SD; and many nieces and nephews. Welcoming him home are: his son, Jared his parents, Emil and Emma Brunz; mother-in-law Maryalyce Rathke; and sister-in-law, Linda Haley Brunz. The celebration of Bob’s life will be at 1:00pm Saturday, January 23, 2016 at Church at the Gate, 6820 W. 26th St., Sioux Falls, SD. Visitation will precede the service from 11:00am-1:00pm at the same location.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Robert Dean Brunz's memorial?
Robert Dean Brunz's memorial is located at: Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA.
When did Robert Dean Brunz death?
Robert Dean Brunz death on 18 Jan 2016 in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Robert Dean Brunz's memorial?
Latitude: 43.5421982
Longitude: -96.6988983

Family Members:

Parent

Emil Brunz

(1908 - 2001)

Emma Neuharth Brunz

(1916 - 2015)

Children

Jared B. Brunz

(unknow - 1973)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5421982, -96.6988983

2. Mount Zion Cemetery
Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5438423, -96.6973495

3. Sons of Israel Cemetery
Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5435410, -96.6966400

4. Hills of Rest Memorial Park
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5483017, -96.6821976

5. Woodlawn Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5257988, -96.7133026

6. Calvary Episcopal Cathedral Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5423000, -96.7279100

7. Saint Michael Catholic Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5786018, -96.7117004

8. Minnehaha County Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.6025009, -96.7003021

9. Monson Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5146970, -96.5990070

10. Forest Home Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5328382, -96.8054295

11. Berg Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.6122017, -96.7514038

12. South Dakota Veterans Cemetery
Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.6228800, -96.6776300

13. Hokenson Cemetery
East Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5338650, -96.5854450

14. Brandon Cemetery
Brandon, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5877991, -96.5919037

15. Bethel Cemetery
Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5872002, -96.8107986

16. Springdale Cemetery
Harrisburg, Lincoln County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4746590, -96.5944595

17. Peterson Cemetery
Renner, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.6403900, -96.7534300

18. Swedona Covenant Cemetery
Brandon, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.6394100, -96.6311500

19. Pleasant View Cemetery
Harrisburg, Lincoln County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4247017, -96.7067032

20. South Beaver Valley Cemetery
Brandon, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5592003, -96.5366974

21. Grandview Cemetery
Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4482994, -96.5811005

22. Beaver Valley Lutheran Cemetery
Valley Springs, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5871680, -96.5324020

23. Dalemoe Cemetery
Crooks, Minnehaha County, USA
Coordinate: 43.6698000, -96.7715600

24. Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
Tea, Lincoln County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4229300, -96.8063000