Ruth Brunner

Ruth Brunner

Resident of Saratoga

Mar. 31, 1916-Oct. 23, 2010

Ruth Kowalke Brunner was born in Kaukauna, WI. She moved at an early age to Kewaunee, WI, where she lived until she was out of college. She graduated from Milwaukee-Downer College (now part of Lawrence University) with a BS in Occupational Therapy, followed by earning a Master's degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, WI. She worked as an occupational therapist at 2 hospitals in Cleveland, OH, where she met her husband, Hugh Brunner, who died in 1988. After moving to Saratoga in 1960, and retiring from 20 year's work at Agnews State Hospital, she continued working part-time for 15 years for Project Match, helping low-income adults find shared housing. For 30 years she traveled, first with her husband, then with her daughters, to Europe, Russia, Asia, New Zealand and South America. At home she enjoyed gardening and sharing her many fruits and flowers. She was a board member of the San Jose Opera Guild and an active member of the Saratoga Foothill Club, as well as a member of the Montalvo Association, where she volunteered giving docent tours, and a member of Hakone Gardens. She was a long time member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Saratoga, where a memorial service will be held on Saturday November 20 at 4pm, with a reception to follow.

She is survived by her sisters Gertrude Llewellyn of Jacksonville, FL, Grace Jungkuntz of Tacoma, WA, brother David Kowalke of Burlington, NC and daughters Nancy (Dan) Larson of Santa Cruz, Sara (Harvard) Holmes of Berkeley, and Barbara Brunner of Oakland.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to The Ruth K. Brunner Memorial Fund at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 12770 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070, or the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc., 1839 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206.