William Bruner

1941 - 2025

William ("Bill") Bruner
12/14/1941 - 07/30/2025
William ("Bill") Richard Bruner Jr., an accomplished architect, artist, and lifelong stargazer, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2025, in Clackamas, Oregon. He was 83.
Born on December 14, 1941, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles to William Richard and Polly Delphine Bruner, Bill grew up in the San Fernando Valley as a proud fourth-generation Californian. He served as Student Body President at Canoga Park High School before going on to study architecture at Stanford University in Palo Alto, where he discovered not only his professional calling but also a passion for art.
Bill's architectural career reflected his creative vision and his deep respect for the natural world. Early in his career, he designed a striking redwood home - "The Sandpiper" - for his parents in Los Osos, which was later featured in Sunset Magazine. He went on to serve as an architect for the U.S. Department of Forestry in San Francisco, where he designed visitor centers that harmonized with their environments. These include the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Coldwater Ridge, which he likened to a jeweled necklace, and headquarters for the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in Idaho, with its jagged roofline mirroring the surrounding peaks.
Bill left his mark on some of the Bay Area and beyond's most recognizable landmarks contributing conceptual designs for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay, the Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, El Prado Hotel in Palo Alto, Hoover Dam Visitor Center in Nevada, and the Palmilla Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico. Over his long career, he became a licensed architect in Alaska, Oregon, and California.
Beyond architecture, Bill was a gifted artist. While at Stanford he studied drawing and painting with celebrated faculty, developing a lifelong love for figurative art. His drawings and paintings were exhibited in solo shows at the Pacific Art League and in galleries in Oregon and Alaska. His art, much like his architecture, combined precision with imagination, often infused with humor and whimsy.
A man of endless curiosity, Bill was also a passionate astronomer. He built telescopes with his own hands and traveled the world to chase solar eclipses, sharing the wonder of the night sky with friends and family. Independently, he designed the observatory at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose.
To those closest to him, Bill will be remembered not only for his professional accomplishments, but also for his spirit. His sister, Betsey, recalls him as a wonderful and caring big brother. His children describe him as a sweet and inspiring father whose wit and creative ingenuity colored their lives.
Bill is survived by his sister, Betsey Bruner of Arizona; his five children and their spouses: Amy Bruner of Portland; Meta Bruner and Dave Sohigian of Lake Oswego; Dan and Amy Bruner of Portland; Jeffrey and Robin Bruner of Beaverton; and Jessica and Oliver Aalami of Palo Alto. He leaves behind twelve grandchildren: Taylor and Devin Santos; Caleb and Anna Sohigian; Nuri, Imana, and Raika Bruner; Hannah and Ryan Bruner; and Lauren, Alexa, and Evan Aalami. He is also survived by his first wife and the mother of his children, Nancy Clough, and by his second wife, Joy Chase.
A private celebration of Bill's life will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Pacific Art League in Palo Alto, California, an institution that honored his work and exhibited his art.