Winifred Toth Brunjes
Winifred Toth Brunjes passed away peacefully at her home in Dana Point, California, on
September 30, 2025, attended by some of her beloved family. Her children, several grandchildren and youngest great grandchildren were in town to visit, but she had just become bedridden, and they were all able to spend precious time and say goodbye in the days just before her passing.
Winnie Gertrude Toth was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 12, 1926, the youngest of four children, all first-generation Americans from her Hungarian parents Helen and Alan Toth. She was predeceased by brother Carl, and sisters Olga and Lillian. When Winnie was seven, her parents divorced and her mother moved back to Connecticut with her 3 daughters. When fourteen, in 1941, her mother and she traveled by train to San Francisco to visit her aunt and cousins, spending a memorable full year there and attending the local high school for her first year. They returned to Norwalk, Connecticut for her second year of High School, where she started a friendship with Richard Brunjes. She attended her third year of High School in Orange, New Jersey, where her mother was working for some friends. Winnie graduated from Norwalk High School in 1944, graduated from the Barbizon School of Modeling in 1946, and was a popular secretary to the Principal at Roger Ludlow Junior High School. She continued her budding relationship with Richard Brunjes, including long-distance correspondence and visits when he joined the Navy as a pilot.
They married on December 7, 1946, in Norwalk, CT, and remained in love for 70 years. They had 4 children, Dana Burr, Peter Richard, David Wynn, and later, Lisa Beth. They lived in New Haven for 5 years while Richard studied architecture at Yale University. They moved back to Norwalk in 1955, bought a starter home in a newer neighborhood, and Richard began his architecture career in New Canaan.
In 1959, they moved their young family to San Juan, Puerto Rico so Richard could further pursue his love of architecture. Richard (or Dick as he was more often called) had a passion for building with concrete - a passion he shared with Frank Lloyd Wright. They lived in Puerto Rico for 9 years, during which she was actively engaged with her children and their education at a Methodist School in San Juan. Winnie accepted an exciting and challenging opportunity to be the location secretary in San Juan for the 1963 film "Lord of the Flies", for which David also had a small part. Richard designed and built a modern custom home of concrete in the country outside San Juan where they lived for 4 years.
In 1968 they moved to Lake Bluff, Illinois where Richard had joined Abbott Laboratories as their only ever Corporate Architect, leading teams to establish manufacturing plants during Abbott's worldwide expansion. He traveled often, while Winnie was active in the Lake Bluff Women's and Garden Club, held important positions at her church, and worked at the local bank, as a Wedding Registry coordinator at Carson Pirie Scott, and as a secretary at Lake Forest College.
Dick and Winnie lived in Lake Bluff for 46 years in the same big old house on 400 East Center Avenue. Winnie traveled the world extensively with Richard after he retired in 1994. They often visited their growing family of grandchildren and great grandchildren all over the country. They lived in Dana Point, California, during the winters from 1994 on, in a sunny condo overlooking the Pacific Ocean, enjoying the balmy weather and panoramic views. They settled in at Sea Bluffs in Dana Point for their sunset years and made many new friends in a short time. Her beloved George Richard Brunjes Jr. passed away in 2016 following a short illness.
Winnie's passions were her family, her church, her friends, and gardening. She had a keen wit and great sense of humor, a deep caring love, an extraordinary intelligence and memory, and a strong appreciation for people, and their stories. She had a compassionate and friendly manner and was deeply respected and fondly loved by all with whom she interacted, and by her large family.
Winnie is survived by 4 children: Dana Burr (Esbensen) of Estacada OR, Peter Richard Brunjes of Santa Barbara CA; David Wynn Brunjes of Lake Forest IL; and Lisa Beth (Jaenicke) of San Juan Capistrano CA; also survived by 11 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. Nana will be missed tremendously by all of them.
A private memorial service will be held by the family at Pacific View Memorial Park in Newport Beach to celebrate Winnie's long and wonderful life, again to be next to her dear Richard.
Those wishing to honor her memory may consider a contribution to the Lake Bluff Women's Club, a good cause close to her heart, in place of flowers. Their address is 26 E Scranton Ave #355, Lake Bluff, IL 60044-0355.
Winifred Toth Brunjes passed away peacefully at her home in Dana Point, California, on
September 30, 2025, attended by some of her beloved family. Her children, several grandchildren and youngest great grandchildren were in town to visit, but she had just become bedridden, and they were all able to spend precious time and say goodbye in the days just before her passing.
Winnie Gertrude Toth was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 12, 1926, the youngest of four children, all first-generation Americans from her Hungarian parents Helen and Alan Toth. She was predeceased by brother Carl, and sisters Olga and Lillian. When Winnie was seven, her parents divorced and her mother moved back to Connecticut with her 3 daughters. When fourteen, in 1941, her mother and she traveled by train to San Francisco to visit her aunt and cousins, spending a memorable full year there and attending the local high school for her first year. They returned to Norwalk, Connecticut for her second year of High School, where she started a friendship with Richard Brunjes. She attended her third year of High School in Orange, New Jersey, where her mother was working for some friends. Winnie graduated from Norwalk High School in 1944, graduated from the Barbizon School of Modeling in 1946, and was a popular secretary to the Principal at Roger Ludlow Junior High School. She continued her budding relationship with Richard Brunjes, including long-distance correspondence and visits when he joined the Navy as a pilot.
They married on December 7, 1946, in Norwalk, CT, and remained in love for 70 years. They had 4 children, Dana Burr, Peter Richard, David Wynn, and later, Lisa Beth. They lived in New Haven for 5 years while Richard studied architecture at Yale University. They moved back to Norwalk in 1955, bought a starter home in a newer neighborhood, and Richard began his architecture career in New Canaan.
In 1959, they moved their young family to San Juan, Puerto Rico so Richard could further pursue his love of architecture. Richard (or Dick as he was more often called) had a passion for building with concrete - a passion he shared with Frank Lloyd Wright. They lived in Puerto Rico for 9 years, during which she was actively engaged with her children and their education at a Methodist School in San Juan. Winnie accepted an exciting and challenging opportunity to be the location secretary in San Juan for the 1963 film "Lord of the Flies", for which David also had a small part. Richard designed and built a modern custom home of concrete in the country outside San Juan where they lived for 4 years.
In 1968 they moved to Lake Bluff, Illinois where Richard had joined Abbott Laboratories as their only ever Corporate Architect, leading teams to establish manufacturing plants during Abbott's worldwide expansion. He traveled often, while Winnie was active in the Lake Bluff Women's and Garden Club, held important positions at her church, and worked at the local bank, as a Wedding Registry coordinator at Carson Pirie Scott, and as a secretary at Lake Forest College.
Dick and Winnie lived in Lake Bluff for 46 years in the same big old house on 400 East Center Avenue. Winnie traveled the world extensively with Richard after he retired in 1994. They often visited their growing family of grandchildren and great grandchildren all over the country. They lived in Dana Point, California, during the winters from 1994 on, in a sunny condo overlooking the Pacific Ocean, enjoying the balmy weather and panoramic views. They settled in at Sea Bluffs in Dana Point for their sunset years and made many new friends in a short time. Her beloved George Richard Brunjes Jr. passed away in 2016 following a short illness.
Winnie's passions were her family, her church, her friends, and gardening. She had a keen wit and great sense of humor, a deep caring love, an extraordinary intelligence and memory, and a strong appreciation for people, and their stories. She had a compassionate and friendly manner and was deeply respected and fondly loved by all with whom she interacted, and by her large family.
Winnie is survived by 4 children: Dana Burr (Esbensen) of Estacada OR, Peter Richard Brunjes of Santa Barbara CA; David Wynn Brunjes of Lake Forest IL; and Lisa Beth (Jaenicke) of San Juan Capistrano CA; also survived by 11 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. Nana will be missed tremendously by all of them.
A private memorial service will be held by the family at Pacific View Memorial Park in Newport Beach to celebrate Winnie's long and wonderful life, again to be next to her dear Richard.
Those wishing to honor her memory may consider a contribution to the Lake Bluff Women's Club, a good cause close to her heart, in place of flowers. Their address is 26 E Scranton Ave #355, Lake Bluff, IL 60044-0355.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Winifred Toth Brunjes, please visit our flower store.
Winifred Toth Brunjes's Guestbook
Visits: 63
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors