Brunhilde A Farrell

She was born on November 18, 1937 in Kamnitzleiten, Czechoslovakia, the daughter of Oskar and Emilie Langhans (Parsche). She had one sister, Emilie Langhans Wachtendorf, who preceded her in death (1996).

Bruni was a young girl when World War II broke out. Her family was placed in a work camp from which they fled by escaping one night, crawling through a mine-field to freedom. They eventually settled in southwestern Germany where she made many friends and finished high school. She attended business school in accounting in Stuttgart, Germany and worked there for a time before winning a lottery at a soccer match. Those winnings were used to travel to the United States in 1960, where she started her American adventure cooking for nine priests at a rectory in Haddonfield, NJ. She met her dashing, future husband on a blind date at a local bowling alley, after she had hung up on his calls to the rectory several times.

They were married on September 23, 1961 in Bad Mergentheim, Germany and settled in Haddonfield following their honeymoon along the “Romantische Strasse.” They became parents to three girls, all of whom were given piano and dance lessons at a very early age. Bruni “ruled the roost” with her jovial personality and old-world, European values, while making sure her girls spoke German and went to charm school. All three girls went on to earn music degrees, excelling at piano performance. Bruni often joked it was because she would create the daily practice schedule and have her wooden cooking-spoon in hand.

Tom’s career as a mechanical/nuclear engineer and project manager of large utility, nuclear, and non-nuclear power generation projects ended up taking the family to several cities while the girls were growing up. As their youngest began college, Tom and Bruni started a series of adventures that led them to reside in countries all over the world. Bruni adapted with ease at each new move.

She had no trouble making friends everywhere she went because she loved people and had a spirit of adventure: riding camels in Petra, floating in the Dead Sea, driving elephants in Thailand, escaping landslides in Venezuela, and coming face to face with a cobra at her front door in India one morning. She often declared, “Never a dull moment!”

Her desire to see as much of the world as possible came from her terrifying experiences as a child refugee.Tom and Bruni’s roster of addresses included Jordan, Venezuela, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, NYC, Dearborn, MI, and Irvine, CA before retiring to Tampa. While living in Manhattan, she returned to her business skills as the Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President of Deutsche Bank.

She loved to sing, ’cut the rug’ with her husband, throw parties, and attend the symphony and opera. She was often outside in her garden, pruning and caring for her magnificent roses.

Bruni was passionate about her devotion to God. She was a faithful member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel and never missed Mass. She loved baking her famous Rhum cake for the after-Mass get together, where she would catch up with her friends and share the latest on her 15 grandchildren. Tom and Bruni had a large stained glass window gifted to the church in 2014 that is by the Baptismal font. It is beautiful. She was instrumental in philanthropy everywhere she and Tom lived. There are churches and orphanages all over the world with her imprint. Wherever she went she left her mark of goodness, including building a soup kitchen in the Indian jungle and volunteering in orphanages.

The last 16 years in Tampa were spent doting on her grandchildren. She loved planning each child’s birthday shopping trip and lunch. She was especially proud of the next generation’s love of music and the discipline in their musical training. Piano is a must. Wooden-spoon…optional.

Through all the years and travels, Tom and Bruni returned to her hometown of Bad Mergentheim, Germany, as often as possible. Their annual visits were always full of light festivals, Volksfests, friends, and classmates from long ago. For many years, she was also an excellent tennis player and competed locally with the Cheval Women’s Tennis Team up until five years ago, still winning matches against women half her age! She also belonged to the Cheval Women’s Club and the O.W.L.S.

Her most unusual achievement might possibly belong in the Guinness Book of Records: Bruni and Tom are the only parents in the entire country to three Miss America contestants. No other couple has proudly sat through three different years of a week’s worth of nerve-wracking competitions in Atlantic City. (on top of all the local and state pageants, beforehand, to get there!) And, they survived.

Bruni’s life is the epitome of the American dream: escaping to freedom, following a dream, finding her life companion, selflessly raising her girls, beautifully spoiling her grandchildren, and touching people’s lives all over the planet.

With her charming German accent, she unknowingly created humorously profound phrases in her second language. The family’s favorite “Bruni-ism” is, “Don’t slouch at the table….it’s bad for your pasture!”

The world has lost a most incredible woman.

Heaven has gained a truly exceptional angel.

She is survived by her loving husband of 55 years,Tom, and their three daughters: Mary Ann Farrell-Karlsson of Tampa, Florida, Monica Craichy (KC) of Orlando, Florida, and Kathleen Nies (Eric) of Hannut, Belgium. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren: Alexander Karlsson of Stockholm, Sweden, Karolina Karlsson of London, U.K., Kyle Craichy, Austin Craichy, Sarah Craichy, Grace Craichy, Joshua Craichy, Veronica Nies, Elizabeth Nies, Matthew Nies, Sebastian Nies, Michael Nies, Lawrence Nies, William Nies, and Crispin Nies. She is also survived by her cousin Judith Wolski (Henrik) of Nürnburg, Germany and friends all over the world.

Visitation will be held at the Gonzalez Funeral Home at 7209 North Dale Mary Highway, Tampa, Florida on Sunday, March 26, 2017 from 6:30 - 9 PM, with the Rosary being recited at 7:30PM.

Final visitation will take place on Monday, March 27, 2017 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Chapel at 2404 Stuart Street, Tampa, Florida starting at 10 AM. The Rosary will be recited at 11:15 AM, and the Funeral Mass will begin at 12 PM, Father Emilio Fattore, celebrant. (No Communion will be given)

Burial immediately following at the Myrtle Hill Memorial Park; entrance at N. 50th and Lake Avenue.

Memorial donations may be made in Bruni’s honor to:

Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel - Building Fund

4202 Stuart Street

Tampa, FL 33605

immaculateheartofmarychapel.com