Betty Brunnen

1929 - 2018

Betty Jean zum Brunnen, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, traveler, businesswoman, antique and collectible dealer, and a long time resident of Rowan County, died in Cary, where she had lived in recent years to be closer to her children. Born July 30, 1929, in Gold Hill, to her parents, the late Leizel Rollins Wagoner and Huldah Barrier Wagoner, she died Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018, after a period of declining health. She was born the youngest of nine siblings in rural Gold Hill, and was a farm child of the depression, spending her early years at the family homeplace, learning how to make do and have fun with simple solutions. Eventually a local beauty queen, she was the second annual Miss Faith Fourth of July, in Faith, and learned to wave and smile in parades across the county many times for other events. She graduated in 1947 from Richfield High School and later matriculated from Greensboro Women's College (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro), where she waited and bussed tables with friends in the cafeteria. One of the early Presidents of the Salisbury Business & Professional Women's Club, she taught for the local Civil Air Patrol which later became the Rowan Rescue Squad. She was also a Paul Harris Fellow recipient from the Salisbury Rotary Club, and was involved in a multitude of Rowan County organizations, particularly those concerning the cultural arts and civic activities. A savvy businesswoman who eventually ran the family CPA firm as an office manager for nearly 20 years, she was one of the early (some say she was the first) professional female accountant(s) in Rowan County. She initially started work at Frank P. Buck Company (later Sherrill & Smith). While in that job, she met her future husband, Chester, a CPA, when he timed his morning breaks so he could ‘run into her' frequently on the sidewalk in downtown Salisbury. This ‘accidental' meeting led to one of Salisbury's early ‘corporate mergers,' as it was once described in the Salisbury Post. They were married on Aug. 23, 1952, at Pfeiffer College Chapel in Misenheimer. She was a member of the Democratic Party her entire adult life and served actively with the Rowan County Democratic Party and in various campaigns (as treasurer and in other positions). She was a devoted member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, serving as an altar guild member for over forty years, and with the Church Bazaar (organizing for years the Attic Treasures booth– of course!), among other activities there. Betty Jean never met a yard sale or flea market she could pass up. No antique dealer could match her, and woe to any individual who underestimated this delicate southern (iron) magnolia negotiator with a gentle smile. Whether it was going to the local yard sale, the beach, or trekking to the backwoods of Alaska, she loved time spent with the sisters closest to her and the travels they took together – as well as the laugh-filled adventures with her nieces. Her legacy is multi-faceted: with her husband she instilled in her children a love of travel, adventure, nature, history, and story-telling by planning extended travels and adventures for the family across the country and other far reaches, always reading to everyone in the car AAA travel-book summaries of each town passed through; she was a loving grandmother who continued her practice of digging out things for her grandson to read & play with (maps, stories, history books); she leaves the heartfelt appreciation of hard but always rewarding summer work and gardening with the family, delicious recipes that will be hard to match, and a home full of laughter and love for many years near Salisbury, which over time became a living museum of dearly held family memories and a treasure-trove of fascination for children of all ages. Her husband, a long-time civic leader and CPA in Salisbury known for his signature mustache and dignified gait, Chester (Chet) David zum Brunnen, Sr., predeceased her in 2000. Together they picked the earth from the tree of life and handed a wondrous world to their two adopted children. There's a lot of gratitude for that. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth Jeanne and Richard Stone, of New Hill; son and daughter-in-law, Chester David (Jr) and Serena Michelle (Ebhardt) zum Brunnen; one grandson, Carlton Jacob zum Brunnen of Bells; numerous four-legged grandchildren who always showed their affection for her whenever they visited; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends and acquaintances. Betty Jean demonstrated a remarkable grace and gratitude in her final days. It was a lesson for all who were in her presence. Betty Jean's family wants to acknowledge that same grace was matched in every way by the Carolina House (Brookdale McArthur Park) and the Transitions Hospice teams. The affection and gratitude shared spread as broadly as Betty Jean's smile. Visitation: The family will receive friends Monday, Aug. 27, from 1-2 p.m., in the Parrish Hall of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Service: The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m., in the church sanctuary with the Rev. Robert Black officiating. Burial will be held at City Memorial Park. Memorials: Memorials may be made to The St. Luke's Altar Guild Fund, c/o St. Luke's Episcopal Church,, 131 W. Council Street, Salisbury, NC, 28144. The Children's Home Society of North Carolina Home (formerly the North Carolina Children's Home) of Greensboro, NC, or the Veda B. zum Brunnen Memorial Fund, c/o St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 131 W. Council Street, Salisbury, NC, 28144. Arrangements are in the care of Summersett Funeral Home, Salisbury, NC. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com.