Brunk, Timothy F. (1876-1958)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1958 Nov 13 p. 8

Birth date: 1876 Jul 13

text of obituary:

TIMOTHY F. BRUNK

Timothy F. Brunk was born in Rockingham County, Virginia on July 13, 1876, the son of David and Elizabeth Brunk. He passed away in a hospital in Upland, Calif. Oct. 26, 1958.

As a young man in his community he was noted for his strength of character and high ideals of life. At an early age he confessed Christ as his personal Saviour, accepted Christian baptism as a seal of his covenant with his Lord, and became a member of the Weaver Mennonite Church.

From his youth he took a keen interest in the program of the church. For a number of years he served his Lord as a teacher in the Sunday school and was active in the young people's Bible meetings.

In 1900 he was married to Elizabeth Nettie Heatwole. For a number of years they were engaged in farming in their home community. As a young couple with vision and enthusiasm they felt the urge to give their service in a smaller congregation where their help was most needed. In the spring of 1906 they left their home community for South English, Iowa. Here again they were engaged in farming as a means of gaining a livelihood, while giving of their service without reservation for the building up of the small congregation there.

For health reasons it became apparent that they would have to leave the farm. In 1924 they with their five children moved to Sterling, Ill. where Mr. Brunk found pleasant employment with the Lawrence Brothers Mfg. Company. He was employed there until 1936, when it became apparent that for health reasons he would have to go to a drier climate. In 1937 he and his wife moved to Upland, Calif. Here again the Brunks found profitable employment and were greatly used in the service of the Lord in the Upland congregation.

Mr. Brunk used much of his leisure time in writing letters to his many friends where they had lived, never forgetting his family who always appreciated his fatherly advice and wholesome admonitions. He composed several poems which are cherished by the family, and they are an expression of his faith and confidence in his Saviour whom he loved and served. In the last year it was noticed that his health was failing.

He leaves to mourn his departure his wife and their five children: Lorene, Mrs. Earl Henderson of Sterling, Ill., Leota, Mrs. Roy Moss of Waterford, Calif., Roy of Saginaw Mich., Tracie, Mrs. W. H. Barber of Clinton, Iowa, and Boyd of Sterling. All of the children except Mrs. Barber were present for the last rites of their father.

Funeral services were conducted on Oct. 29, 1958, at the Upland Mennonite Church by Pastor Geroge H. Beare and Bishop Sherman Maust, in the presence of a large congregation. The floral offering was unusually large and beautiful, which was an expression of the esteem in which he was held by his many friends.