Newspaper

» Show All     «Prev «1 ... 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 ... 363» Next»     » Slide Show

Brunner was dedicated to serving Newton

The Newton Kansan

Brunner was dedicated to serving Newton

Bill Wilson bwilson@thekansan.com

Newton Kansan

"Really and truly, this is like losing a brother," said Hurley, a longtime railroader and historian, about the death of his best friend, Orville Brunner.

Brunner, 74, a retired engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad and three times the mayor of Newton, died Monday at Via Christi-St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Wichita.

It marked the end of what Hurley -- Brunner's friend and partner in a variety of pre- and post-retirement projects -- described as a beautiful friendship between two men who were born 12 hours apart, two men who shared an unwavering dedication to Newton and their lives as railroaders.

"He was always referring to me as 'old man,' " Hurley recalled Monday. "Then one time on a trip, he pulled out one of those little birth certificates and I told him, 'Lemme see that.' Found out he was born 12 hours before me. After that, he was the 'old man.' "

For a large chunk of the 1960s and 1970s, Brunner was a major player in shaping the future of the city of Newton. He served 16 years on the Newton City Commission, serving as mayor from 1962 to 1964, 1968 to 1969 and 1971 to 1972.

And during those years, he made a huge impact on the city's quality of life, both through his unwavering dedication to infrastructure improvements and in the response he and the commissioners crafted as a flood control project to the devastating flood of 1965 -- part of Brunner's lifelong persona as a servant to his community.

"Orville's tenure with the city commission was one that was unequalled up to that time," said longtime Newton city clerk John Torline. "Orville was a very easygoing man, very thoughtful and dedicated. He was genuinely a fine fellow, someone who was very well respected for his thoughtful approach to what he did."

He also was a man who accepted his work on Newton's behalf with a sense of humor.

"The thing I remember best about Orville is Brad Wells always referring to him as Norton, for Ed Norton, the sewer engineer on the Honeymooners," Torline said. "You know. Art Carney. Thing was, Orville took a particular interest in the sewer system and wanted to make sure that the city's infrastructure was updated and adequate. Brad would reverently refer to Orville on the council bench as Norton, look down and say, 'Commissioner Norton, what do you think about that?' "

"That's the kind of man he was," said his son-in-law, Newton attorney John Robb. "Common sense was what Orville was about. If the commission talked about manhole covers, he would go out and look. That's really why Brad Wells called him Norton."

"He knew where every manhole in the city was," said his daughter, Karen Robb. "He remembered back where the problems were, figured out why they existed and how to fix it."

Karen Robb said her father's dedication to city matters grew from the history he loved.

"For one thing, his family was one of the first to settle in Newton," she said. "Dad had such a love for Newton. He wanted to see this city be the best it could be. When he saw something that could be done, he went directly after it."

Brunner was extremely active in other city affairs besides the sewer system, counting the Newton Activity Center and the development of the Newton Ambulance Department as personal sources of pride.

"He wanted the best ambulance department in the country, and he believed that it was," Karen Robb said.

And his unswerving dedication to Newton didn't end with his retirement from the Santa Fe, or the day he stepped down off the Newton City Commission bench.

He and his running mate Hurley teamed to head the "Save the 1880 Engine" project, which left the historic piece of railroad memorabilia in Newton's Military Park.

"We're railroaders," Hurley said, explaining why the engine had to be saved from a prospective buyer in Texas. "That engine's pretty important to us."

With the help of many retired railroaders, other volunteers and the Harvey County Builders, the project was completed for use as the backdrop for the Atlanta Olympics torch ceremony in 1996.

Family members characterized Brunner's work on the 1880 as a "labor of love." For that work, he was featured on KAKE-TV's Hatteburg's People and received the Mayor's Posse award from Mayor Carl Harris in June 1996.

Brunner also was, quietly, a patriot. That was never more evident than during the Vietnam War.

"Dad would write a letter to every one of the Newton guys who was going to Vietnam and thank them for being willing to go," Karen Robb recalled.

Brunner also volunteered for a wide variety of organizations, including the Boy Scouts, the Tin Can Sailors, the United Transportation Union, the Harvey County Historical Society and the Newton American Legion.

He leaves behind a large group of survivors, and that extra brother.

"Basically, Dad and Mike were together all their lives," Karen Robb said. "They were best buddies. They worked together. Their families and kids celebrated birthdays together. They gave each other a hard time. They just fit together so well."

Maybe that's why Mike Hurley found talking about his friend difficult Monday.

"I'm gonna miss him," he said.


Owner/SourceHarvey County Genealogical Society
Date19 Mar 2014
Linked toOrville E Brunner

» Show All     «Prev «1 ... 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 ... 363» Next»     » Slide Show




Home Page |  What's New |  Most Wanted |  Surnames |  Photos |  Histories |  Documents |  Cemeteries |  Places |  Dates |  Reports |  Sources