Walter Joseph Brunner

1948-2017

The measure of a life well lived is never material possessions or worldly success, but rather, the love that one leaves behind. Walter Joseph Brunner was a kind and loving man who lived a simple life. What he enjoyed most in life was his family and simple pleasures. Although the events of his life may not have been extraordinary, to those that knew and loved him, he was most definitely an extraordinary man in the love he had for the most important things in life. He leaves behind a large family and many friends, and he will be extraordinarily missed.

Walter was born on December 27th 1948. He was the first child of Ellen and Oswald Brunner. Ellen was a home-maker and Oswald, a lumber worker. Walter’s sister Mary was born in July of 1953. In his early years, Walter and his family lived in Burnaby. Walter attended St. Helen’s school until grade two. The family then moved to the Dunbar area in the early 1950s. Here he loved to go to the Saturday afternoon movies at the local theatre where admission and popcorn cost only a dime. He also remembered that his mother gave him a quarter every Friday to buy fish and chips for his lunch. In 1959 the family moved to their long-time home on Third and Trutch in Kitsilano. Walter attended OLPH Catholic School until grade 10 and then Kitsilano High School for grades 11 and 12. Walter loved to spend his summers on the beach and riding bikes with his cousin Ricky and his close friend Randy. He also loved playing football with his friends. In 1966, Walter graduated high school and went to UBC to complete his degree in Civil Engineering. During the summers while attending UBC, Walter worked for the Forestry Service and the Water Service. It was during this time that his love for the outdoors blossomed. For the rest of his life, he loved the outdoors, and some of his favourite activities were camping and hiking. In 1971 Walter graduated from UBC ad was hired as a design engineer y BC Hydro. One of Walter’s first projects was designing penstocks for the Mica Dam.

In the summer of 1973, Walter met his future wife Kathy, on a camping trip at Kawkawa Lake. Kathy’s father, Robert White, also worked at BC Hydro. On August 2nd 1975 Walter and Kathy were married. The couple settled into a two bedroom condo on East Hastings St. in Burnaby. Their first child, Nathan, was born on March 24th 1979. At the time that Nathan was born, Walter was in the middle of writing his final paper for his Master’s Degree in Engineering. In January 1980, Walter and Kathy bought their long-time family home on Queenston Court in Burnaby. Walter and Kathy’s second child, Tobias, was born July 1st 1981. The family was then completed with the birth of their third child, Emily, on February 24th 1984. This was a very busy time in Walter’s life. Kathy became a stay at home mom- kept very busy with three young children and Walter continued his work at BC Hydro. Although times were busy, Walter always made his family his first priority. He always made sure that he spent his time and attention with his wife and children. Every weekend was spent going to the park or going to hikes on the local trails. The family’s two favourite places to go were Gold Creek near Alouette Lake and the UBC Research Forest in Haney. Walter always loved soccer and passed this down to his children. The entire family became wrapped up in the soccer season. Everyone in the family played- except Kathy- but she became a team mother, coach, and supporter to everyone. For years there were a total of six practices a week and four games on the weekends. In the fall and winter Walter was the coach for Nathan and Emily and for a few years, he also coached Nathan’s and Tobias’ baseball teams in the spring. As the children grew, the young family went on many camping trips with the Smith family at Harrison Lake and the Okanagan. Most summers the family went on camping trips around BC and the western United States. The family explored Barkerville, the Kootenays, Vancouver Island, Oregon, Nevada, Utah Yellowstone National Park, and the Grand Canyon. They also took trips to Disneyland, Hawaii and Great Britain. Every summer the family shared in an adventure of some sort.

As the years went by, Walter’s job at BC Hydro transitioned into Dam Safety management. By the end of his 35 year career, Walter was Senior Project Manager in the Transmissions division. Walter retired in June 2006, but just a year later, was coaxed back to Hydro as a consultant and continued working for another six years. Walter was always busy with his many hobbies. He loved tending his large vegetable and flower gardens. Walter grew plentiful vegetables, and his tomatoes were the envy of the entire neighbourhood. Walter did all the cooking in the household once he retired. He was always trying out new recipes and he was personally responsible for all the cooking for each family get-together. For many years, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and many birthdays were all hosted at the Brunner house. Walter also loved photography. When he got his high tech digital camera, he loved taking pictures of his grand-children and his two beloved cats: Moxie and Manni. Not only did he love taking pictures of his cats- he was slave to their every desire, and he loved taking care of them. The two cats would follow Walter everywhere. Several times a day Walter would feed them treats by hand, and they always slept on his side of the bed at night. As well as loving his cats, Walter spent many hours playing and indulging his grandchildren. Walter’s first grandchild, Oscar, was born in 2009. Oscar was followed by Brooke in 2011, Levi in 2012, Kendall in 2014 and finally Holly in 2016. Walter was a fantastic grandfather. He was always excited to see his grandchildren and he was their favourite play-mate. He shared his love of soccer with Oscar and his love of taking pictures with Brooke. He spoiled his grandchildren and always showered them with love and attention.

Walter’s life was one that was steady and determined. He loved his job, his family and his friends, and he was loyal to all of them until the end. Walter was not a risk-taker, a flamboyant personality, or a mover and a shaker. What he was, was a simple man, who loved his life, nature and his family above all else. He spent his time being with and doing what he loved. He was extraordinary in his love for his family, and his commitment to living a good life.

Tobias' Eulogy

I wanted to read that poem to you because it I think it really captures what it is about Walter that makes me most grateful to have known him and to be his son. I’m not a parent myself, but I’d have to guess that every parent just hopes to try and provide their children with the tools and skills that they will need to live full and happy lives of their own. I can definitely say that my dad was totally dedicated to doing that for us- He spent so much time with us, did anything for us, and taught us so much. But, what I am most grateful for is his PATH- The life he chose to life. My dad showed me the value of a life based on spiritual principles. My father was such an honest man. Committed to honesty in every area of his life. The next right thing was always what he was going to do. Because of this I believe people trusted him, and I know he had faith the goodness of people. He was a patient man. Through his patience and attentiveness, he showed me how complex problems can be solved, and how to become a master at any pursuit. He was always friendly, always humble, and always so kind. He had such a gentle kindness about him, it’s no surprise the kids and animals were drawn to him, the way they were. And above all….we was so loving. My dad ALWAYS made me feel that no matter what I did, or chose to do, or if I made a mistake, or whatever, that it would not change the way he felt about me, and that he would be there for me. He taught me what loving unconditionally is all about. While I love him for all the specific things he did, it’s this example that I can really use to be the person I want to be.

Dad, thank you for being the man that you were…… and for leaving this great blueprint for us on how to lead a good life. We love you, miss you, and will never forget you.

Emily's Eulogy

There are two things that I cherish and am so thankful for when I think about my Dad. The first was my Dad’s kind but quiet nature. As many of you know, my Dad was not much of a talker. We used to characterize him in the family as the strong but silent type. It’s not that my Dad didn’t enjoy conversing with people- I think it’s just that he knew the value of silence. In my head I can picture him standing on the sun deck quietly looking out at the North Shore mountains, or watching the hummingbirds at his feeders. My Dad was so even-tempered. He rarely got mad or yelled at us as kids. My brothers, (Nathan and Toby) and I, were a handful. But my Dad was always fair and loving with us. I vividly remember as a young child that my favourite time of the day was when Dad got home from work. I remember peppering my mom with the question: “when will Dad be home.” I’m sure for her it was the best part of the day too. It gave her a break from us. The daily fixture was my Dad would arrive sometime while my Mom was preparing dinner. We would all sit down and eat. Then as Mom started to clean up the kitchen, Dad would take us downstairs to the basement. He would spend all night playing with us. We would play soccer, hockey, baseball, board games, card games and any other game we wanted to play. When my Dad played with us- we got all his attention. He was never distracted with anything else, or watching us from the corner of his eye. He was all in, all the time. He was the best play-mate we could have ever asked for. Not only did he play with us at home- he also took us everywhere and introduced us to many adventures. We went camping, fishing and canoeing. We went on wonderful family vacations: Disneyland, Hawaii, England and long winding road trips throughout BC and the US. He coached our soccer teams and shared in all our important events and achievements. He was even a sucker for his cats, feeding them treats by hand several times a day. He was definitely quiet- but also full of love. Having said all this- on the extremely rare occasion that my Dad did yell at you- you know you did something really wrong. It was so rare and so out of the norm for him to raise his voice- it was scary and you definitely paid attention. But if you could do something funny enough to crack my Dad up- that was like winning the lottery for the day. He had a wonderful smile and laugh. I will truly miss this about my Dad.

The second thing that strikes me when I think about Dad is that he was the guy with all the answers. I firmly believe that there was nothing my Dad did not understand, know how to do, or couldn’t find the answer to. I don’t really know how my Dad accumulated the knowledge base he had, or when he learned all the skills he possessed. He loved to read- fiction and non-fiction, but he also loved doing things. He loved nature and being outside and he had this fierce need to be independent and to be able to do things himself. I don’t think he would have ever even considered calling someone in to fix something. My Dad was a wonderful gardener. He was a tremendous cook and single-handedly cooked most of our family meals- Christmas’, Thanksgivings and birthdays. He could fix things- his car, the furnace, the drainage pipe under our yard. He painted the house and did all the renovations himself. He was meticulous with his finances and documents. He was decent with computers. He took great pictures with his camera, and he could knit his own sweaters, gloves and mittens. He made home-made pies and made his own jam. He could play any sport. He played soccer until he was 65, but I remember him being good at everything, like hockey, tennis, skiing and squash. He was physically fit- more than anyone I’ve ever known. He just seemed to have all the answers and could do anything. As a kid I remember constantly asking my Dad questions- about everything. I’d help him in the garden and ask about the plants. I loved looking at his photos of his work in India and the Taj Mahal, and I remember asking so many questions about that. And my Dad always did his best to answer them. I never felt as though I was bothering him- he always seemed to have the time and desire to answer me. As an adult I’ve asked my Dad many things too. I’ve asked my Dad for his help when figuring out my finances. When my husband and I purchased our home, he went through my budget with me and helped me figure out (and supplied) our down-payment. He taught me to drive and changed my tire on the side of the road when I got a flat. When I was worried my house needed repairs- he took a look and let me know what he thought. He supplied the funds for my education and my wedding. In high school and university he was better than any tutor. With Chemistry, Physics and Calculus, I often needed my Dad’s help. Even if he hadn’t studied it in years, he would read the textbook and the problem that I was trying to solve, and within 10 minutes, he would know how to solve it and could explain it to me step by step. If I needed something- my Dad dropped what he was doing and gave me his full attention. He always listened if I had a problem, and I honestly can’t think of a time when he couldn’t fix it- or make it better in some way. That is a stabilizing force that I am going to desperately miss in my life. I sincerely hope I can be that person for my children. I will never be able to thank him enough for the love, attention and opportunities he afforded me in his life and mine.

But I know that what I will truly miss the most about my Dad, is watching him play with my three girls- Brooke, Kendall and Holly. The look of sheer joy on their faces and his, was the greatest pleasure of my life. My Dad would have, and did, do anything for my girls. He was their favourite and it was never hard to see why. He spoiled them and doted on them. He baked them cookies, played on the floor with them, and took them to the park or on long walks. Long after Brooke and Kendall could walk, my Dad would carry them around on one arm like he was their own personal chariot. He’d pick them up to show them pictures on the wall or to touch his hanging plants. Like I remember with my brothers and I, my Dad always gave them his full attention. He would spend all day with them and at the end of the day he was still smiling at their shenanigans. He watched with them endless episodes of Toopy and Binoo which is a painful show for anyone over 5 . He never seemed to need a break from them and was always so happy to see them the next day. When Brooke turned 1 and I went back to work, my mom (who had previously agreed to do the child-care) also decided to work- and so my Dad for almost a year became nanny to Brooke. Some grandpa’s may have found this overwhelming- but not my Dad. He kept Brooke busy all day, took her out to the park or the mall, and could get her to behave much better than I could. And when Kendall turned 1 and I went back to work again, on some weeks, my Dad would be the one to take Brooke to preschool and back and would then entertain them both all day. Anything they asked he would do. I am so grateful that like me, they got to experience the joy of playing with my Dad. I regret so much that he will miss them growing up, and that they will miss out on all the joy that he would have brought to their lives. I’m going to tell them stories about him every chance I get, and enjoy the things with them that he would have. I am going to work so hard to keep his spirit and values alive in them.

Dad, we thank you so much for the love you brought into our lives. We could not have asked for a better Dad or Grandpa. We love you and are so grateful for your full and wonderful life.

Kathy's Eulogy

Good afternoon. My name is Kathy Brunner and I was fortunate enough to be married to Walter for 41.5 years. I would like to thank all of you for coming here today. Many of you knew Walter as a relative, friend, neighbour, co-worker, or soccer teammate. Some of you did not know Walter but are here to support his family. I hope that after today you will appreciate how much he meant to us and what a special man he was.

I think that Walter’s outstanding feature was his even temperment. He rarely got too excited or upset about anything – he was always on an even keel. I often wondered why he had such a calm disposition and I think his engineering background greatly influenced his attitude towards life. Walter was a planner –he approached every activity or project in a methodical, step by step fashion. He liked to figure things out and persevered until he solved the problem. He was a “do it yourselfer”.

When we bought our house in 1980 it was brand new so the entire bottom floor was unfinished. During the next 2 years, Walter did the framing and put in the walls for all the rooms, put in the electrical wiring, the bathroom plumbing, and built a stone fireplace. Before our first son was born in 1979, Cowichan sweaters made from buffalo wool were very popular. Walt admired these sweaters and wanted one but they were quite expensive so he decided to knit his own. He took a book out of the library about knitting and over the next few months he knitted 3 Cowichan sweaters (2 with front zippers and 1 pullover) and a vest, as well as various scarves, hats, mittens and a pair of socks.

When it came to landscaping the front and back yards of our home, Walt again had a definite plan in mind. He built a rock wall in both the front and back yards and strategically planted flowers and shrubs so that there would be some colour in the garden throughout the year. He took special pride in his vegetable garden, especially his tomatoes. He started them as seedlings in the house and then planted them outside under a shelter and he would water them by hand. We regularly would harvest between 300 to 400 tomatoes every season.

His organization and attention to detail was never more evident than when he prepared a holiday dinner for our large family. He cooked everything himself – from the appetizers to the desserts (his chocolate cheesecake was a family favourite). He would plan the menu days beforehand and wrote down each dish, when he would make it, and how long it needed to be cooked. He loved trying out different recipes and always made something new for us to eat. He faithfully input every holiday dinner menu into the computer so he could look up the dishes we had enjoyed in previous get togethers.

He was the photographer in the family. He was always looking to take an interesting or candid shot, whether it was a picture of some wildlife in the woods or a photo of a family member. When he was in his early 20’s he enjoyed developing his black and white photos with his own photography equipment and until recently, he became a fan of digital photography and was in the process of scanning our older family photos into the computer.

True to his nature, Walter didn’t make important decisions quickly. He explored all the options available and our family could count upon him making informed and responsible choices, whether it was buying a new vehicle or deciding where to go on our annual family vacation.

He was a quiet, kind, unassuming man who was a loyal friend and was devoted to his children and grandchildren. He was truly loved and is missed by us every day.

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BRUNNER, Walter Joseph

December 27, 1948 – February 5, 2017

“ He was the nicest guy that I have ever known”. No truer words can be said about Walter, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother, who passed away unexpectedly on February 5, 2017. Predeceased by his parents, Ellen and Oswald Brunner. Memories of Walter’s kindness and good nature will be cherished by his loving wife of 41 years, Kathy, and his three children, Nathan (Alicia) Brunner, Tobias Brunner, and Emily (Brandon) Chalmers. He was adored by his five grandchildren, Oscar and Levi Brunner, and Brooke, Kendall, and Holly Chalmers. Also mourning his passing is his sister, Mary, and many other relatives and friends. Walter was an exemplary employee of B.C. Hydro for 35 years. He began his career as a civil design engineer in 1971 and retired as a senior project manager in 2006. He was a man of many interests – his passions included playing soccer (until the age of 65), hiking, gardening, cooking, photography, and spending time with his two devoted cats, Moxie and Mani. Walter was a kind man and a loyal friend. He will be missed by everyone that had the privilege of knowing him. A Celebration of Walter’s Life will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 1:00 P.M. with a reception to follow at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 3879 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby. Please join our family in sharing our memories of Walter. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to a charity of your choice.