Brunk, Ruth Mary Smith (1903-2002)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2002 Nov 18 p. 8

Birth date: 1903 May 10

text of obituary:

RUTH MARY SMITH BRUNK

Ruth Mary Smith Brunk, 99, died Nov. 7, 2002, at Oak Lea Nursing Home in Harrisonburg, Va., where she lived for two and a half years. She was born May 10, 1903, in West Liberty, Ohio.

She married Truman H. Brunk on Jan. 16, 1924. They moved into the Denbigh Mennonite Community in 1932. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Jan. 16, 1994.

She worked beside her husband, who was a minister and bishop, for 40 years, teaching, counseling and singing. They traveled many times to Sicily and Jamaica, where they helped in the founding of Mennonite churches, which are flourishing today. He preceded her in death on Jan. 10, 1995.

She was a gifted artist and painted hundreds of pictures, which she gave to family and friends and donated to church schools and relief auctions.

Survivors include three children, Evelyn Brunk Hertzler and her husband, Alvin, of Newport News; Truman H. Brunk Jr., and his wife, Betty, and Sandra Brunk Steiner and her husband, Nevin, all of Harrisonburg; a sister, Evelyn Schlosser of Newport News; seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Truman; and two daughters, infant Delsie in 1926 and Peggy Brunk Brydge in 1958.

Funeral services were held at Warwick River Mennonite Church of Newport News. Burial was in the church cemetery. A memorial service was held in Strite Auditorium of Virginia Mennonite Retirement Center in Harrisonburg.