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Brunk, Alice Yoder (1887-1977)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 13 Jan 1977 p. 3
Birth date: 1887
text of obituary
Goshen, Ind.— A memorial service for Mrs. Alice Brunk, 90, for many years active in mission and service programs of the Mennonite Church, were held Tuesday morning, Jan. 4. at the College Mennonite Church here.
Mrs. Brunk died Jan. 1 at Harrisonburg, Va. The memorial service here was conducted by John Mosemann and Arnold Roth. It was preceded by a burial service at the Clinton Union cemetery with Levi Hartzler in charge.
Mrs. Brunk and her husband, Joseph Brunk, gave several periods of service in Puerto Rico in the 1940s under the Mennonite Board of Missions. They were also active in mission and service work in the U.S., and developed a lake property in southern Michigan which is now used by Goshen College and the Board of Missions.
Mr. Brunk died in 1973. Surviving are two sons, Ivan of Lombard, Ill. and Milton of Goshen; two daughters, Adella Kanagy of Fairfax, Va. and Mable Brunk of Harrisonburg; one brother, Harvey Yoder of Denbigh, Va.; one sister, Amanda Shenk of Harrisonburg; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 17 Feb 1977 p. 11
Birth date: 1887
Alice Yoder Brunk, 90, who shared with her husband, Joseph E. Brunk (d. July 7, 1973), in developing an abandoned farm near Mottville, Mich., into Mennonite Youth Village and the recreation area of Brunk Cabin, bequeathed to Goshen College, died peacefully in her sleep on New Year's morning. She had lived at Harrisonburg. Va. with her daughter Mabel for the past two years.
Her husband served as one of the first relief workers under MCC in Constantinople, Turkey, in 1921. Earlier they had served together for one year as cooks at Goshen College, and Joe served for one year as business manager. He was later superintendent for Musselman Canning Co. Pennsylvania. During the depression years they returned to Goshen College where Joe developed a small shirt factory for student employment.
Alice with her husband served in volunteer work in Puerto Rico in 1941 and 1945-46. They gave volunteer service to many churches from Nakashibetsu, Japan to California, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, and wherever they travelled. Some 330 knit bandages for relief were also part of Alice's contribution.
She was a member of the College Mennonite Church, Goshen, where a memorial service was held on Jan. 4.
Her family includes four children—Ivan, Milton, Adella (Mrs. Lee Kanagy) and Mabel—ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A brother, J. Harvey Yoder, 95, and a sister, Amanda Shenk, 93, both live in Virginia.