C.B. Bruner M.D.

1928 - 2019

C. B. Bruner, M.D. FORT WORTH -- C. B. Bruner M.D., age 90, a family practice physician, passed away Monday, January 14, 2019. SERVICE: A memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth on Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 1 p.m., followed by a reception in Wesley Hall. MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, donations in C. B.'s honor may be made to the First Methodist Church of Fort Worth Foundation, 640 Taylor Street, Suite 2510, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. Cavan Bryan Livingston was born in Fort Worth, Texas on December 15, 1928 to Bonnie Lillian Hawkins Livingston and Cavin Bryan Livingston. After losing his father at a young age, C. B. and his brother, Bobby, were adopted by their beloved stepfather, Leslie Ross Bruner, who married their mother. C. B. attended Fort Worth schools and graduated from Polytechnic High School in 1946 as salutatorian. He attended TCU on an academic scholarship and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Following his college graduation, C. B. attended the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and graduated in 1955 with his medical degree. He belonged to the Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity. Following his internship at Kansas City General Hospital, C. B. fulfilled his military obligation at James Connally Air Force Base in Waco, Texas from 1956 to 1959. Captain Bruner was chief medical officer of the Base hospital. While in the service, C. B. and his first wife, Leva LaRue McFarland, had two children. In March, 1959, C. B. lost Leva in an automobile crash, caused by a tornado which also resulted in a 3-month hospital stay for C. B. and a year of rehabilitation at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Life changed for the better after 1959, when C. B. moved back to Fort Worth and started a practice of general medicine. He married Martha Ann Shipman in 1962 at First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth. Two more children were born and Martha has remained C. B.'s lifetime mate, and the mother to all four children. Both prior to and after retirement, C. B. and Martha traveled the world extensively. In addition to his medical practice, he was a farmer, rancher and beekeeper. C. B. raised Angus/Hereford crosses and loved to feed all kinds of animals and drive his tractor around his Johnson County farm. He never met a stranger and continued to develop deep friendships through his final days. C. B. enjoyed good food and Blue Bell ice cream and was the best Dad and Grandfather that a child could ever hope for. Following his retirement, C. B. volunteered regularly at the First United Methodist Church Mission, and continued his farming and ranching activities. C. B. was a compassionate physician who spent a lot of time with each patient, an anachronism in the later years of his practice. He received the 20-year Distinguished Medical Staff award at All Saints Hospital, where he was particularly active on committees dealing with medical records and quality control. He served on a number of committees of the Tarrant County Medical Society and was Chairman of the Medical-Legal Liaison Committee at a time considered critical to the medical profession. Other professional affiliations include: The American Medical Association, The Southern Medical Association, The Texas Medical Association, The Fort Worth Academy of Medicine, and the Air Force Medical Association. C. B. was active with the University of Texas Medical Branch as an alumni leader in several capacities. He was a trustee of the UTMB School of Medicine Alumni Association, served as the Association's president from 1976 to 1977 and remained an emeritus member. He was a member of the UTMB President's Club, and the University of Texas Chancellor's Council. C. B. was awarded the Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1984, the highest honor bestowed by UTMB upon its medical alumni. C. B. was preceded in death by his brothers, Bobby Livingston Bruner and Leslie Ross Bruner. SURVIVORS: His wife of 56 years, Martha Ann Bruner; children, Julie Bruner Cowan (Robert), Bryan David Bruner (Gina), Mary Bruner Ayers (Lawrence), William Andrew Bruner (Linda); grandchildren, Taylor Cowan Rybowiak (Chris), Bennett Cavan Cowan (Lauren), Emily Grace Bruner, William Bryan Bruner, Laurie Georgina Bruner, Matthew McFarland Bruner, Audrey Nelle Christian, Jackson Park Christian, Kathryn Jane Ayers, William Park Bruner, Wesley Song Bruner, Margaret Pak Bruner; and several beloved nieces and nephews.