Sigrid Anna Debrunner Mueller

LAKEWOOD, Colo. - Sigrid Anna Debrunner Mueller, 92, formerly of Urbana, passed away peacefully on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Englewood, Colo.

Sigrid was born on May 19, 1932, to Anna Mueller (nee Bosshard) and Johannes Theodor Mueller, in Winterthur, Canton Zurich, Switzerland. In 1936, her family moved into their newly built house on Loorstrasse, where Sigrid spent her remaining childhood years. When Sigrid was 7 years old, she began taking piano lessons and continued to play piano throughout her life. She attended school in Winterthur until her acceptance at age 17 into the Musikschule Konservatorium in Zurich. After completing her music studies at the Konservatorium, she spent a year in Paris studying with classical pianist Jacqueline Eymar.

Sigrid was predeceased by her husband, Peter Debrunner (2024), and her younger brother, Harald Mueller (2016).

Sigrid met her future husband, Peter Debrunner, in 1950, and they were married in 1955. Their first two children, Bettina (1957) and Christian (1959), were born in Winterthur. In 1960, Peter accepted a post-doctoral position in physics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and the family moved to the U.S. Their daughter, Susan, was born in Urbana in 1962.

Sigrid traveled to Switzerland every few summers with her three children, sometimes accompanied by Peter, to visit her parents and other Mueller and Debrunner relatives. As a result, her children were able to spend time with their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in Switzerland on a regular basis.

In addition to raising three children, Sigrid taught piano, first in Winterthur, then in Urbana, where she had almost 40 piano students at one point. She was an accomplished pianist and accompanist and was a member of both the Tuesday Morning Music Club and Mu Phi Epsilon, where she accompanied fellow musicians on the piano with performances at locations around Urbana.

Sigrid will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

She is survived by her daughter Bettina Vossbrinck (nee Debrunner) and husband Charles Vossbrinck; son Christian Debrunner and wife Agnes (nee Haken); daughter Susan Debrunner and former husband Doug Lidiak; grandchildren, Alice Vossbrinck, Kate MacMillan (nee Vossbrinck) and husband Sean, Madeline Vossbrinck and husband Michael Poage, Henry Vossbrinck, Tristan Debrunner, Ianna Debrunner, Elsa Debrunner, Eric Lidiak and Alex Lidiak; and great-grandchildren, Sean and Carl MacMillan and Quinn and Maeve Poage.

In 1997, upon Peter 's retirement, Sigrid and Peter moved to Conifer, Colo., where they lived next door to their son Christian and his wife, Agnes, and near their daughter, Susan. They spent 15 happy years in Conifer, enjoying the Colorado scenery, gardening, hiking and skiing and spending time with their children and grandchildren Eric, Alex, Tristan, Ianna and Elsa. Sigrid continued to teach piano to a number of students.

Sigrid had boundless energy and determination and a lively sense of humor. She loved interacting with people and playing and teaching piano. Sigrid enjoyed doing arts and crafts with her children and later with her grandchildren. She baked an impressive variety of Swiss Christmas cookies every year, which were enjoyed by family and friends. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and helped out by babysitting them when they were little, and as they grew older, taught many of them how to play piano. Sigrid had beautiful flower gardens in Urbana and later in Conifer that she worked on every summer. 

In 2012, Sigrid and Peter moved to Morrison, Colo., to be closer to the amenities of Denver. They continued to spend time outdoors and with their family. Upon Peter's death in 2024, Sigrid moved to The Ridge in Lakewood, Colo., where she lived until the end of her life.

Sigrid was an extraordinary wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great-grandmother. In the words of her 7-year-old great-grandson, Sean, "Nana was a great person, and we all loved her. She lived in Colorado and loved cookies and flowers."

Sigrid had a long and full life, which we are all grateful to have been a part of. We miss her greatly and will hold her in our hearts and memories forever.

Per Sigrid's request, no funeral service will be held.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Sigrid's memory may be sent to the Denver Rescue Mission at denverrescuemission.org/.