Rosemary R Brunner

Rosemary Ruth Leahy Brunner went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 surrounded by her family. It was a peaceful transition and made especially sweet because both her sisters were with her as she took her final breath.

Rosemary was born in Dallas TX on December 1, 1925 to Michael Leo and Ruth Threlfall Leahy.

The family moved quite a bit during her childhood but settled in Austin for a good part of her young life where she attended St. Mary’s Catholic High School and the University of Texas where she was a member of the Tri Delta Sorority.

In her twenties, much of the Leahy family had settled in Dallas, TX where she met and married Ed Brunner. They were married at Holy Trinity Catholic Church and after a few years of living in Casa Linda, attending St. Pius, the family moved to Farmers Branch in 1958 and became an integral part of Mary Immaculate Church and school. There were 4 children and she was very active at Mary Immaculate school; she was a Girl Scout leader, Room mother, President of the Ladies Auxilary, sang in the Choir, member of St. Jude’s Guild and later in life The Red Hat Ladies and Bunco group. She had a servant’s heart and was always helping someone in need.

In her professional life, she was an Executive secretary to Tom Braniff of Braniff Airlines, John Conway of Harris Corporation, and Glen Brotemarkle of Harris Corporation and AM Graphics . In her later years, she would work with Zera Mackie at the YMCA and retire from the North Town facility. Rosemary typed well above 100 words a minute and took shorthand so well that she not only won an award for it from the University of Texas but she was tasked to take shorthand for the Generals towards the end of the war.

Her children were always her priority whether it be taking care of chicks and ducklings from Easter that grew up to scare the kids or loading up the little Renault with kids, cousins, and neighbors and going the Dairy Queen for ice cream or Bachman Lake for picnics. Many a Sunday night we sat outside of Love Field watching the planes take off and land. She also traveled around the world with friends and family. Rosemary had fun whether with her children or her friends; she had a great sense of humor and had a habit of getting the giggles with her sisters at a young age which carried into their adulthood and by adulthood, we mean well into their 90’s!

She is survived by her children, Lib Grimmett, Tina Brunner, and Michael Brunner; Her sisters Mary Frances Darrouzet, Marie Therese Jenkins and many nieces and nephews all of whom she loved and had special memories.

Preceded by her ex-husband Edward P. Brunner, Jr., her son, Edward Patrick Brunner III, her parents Michael Leo and Ruth Leahy, Brothers, Mike, wife Zoe Leahy and Bob, wife Molly Leahy, nephew Rob Leahy, sister, Helen, husband, Ed Nassour, brother-in-laws, John L Darrouzet Sr, and James E Jenkins, Sr.

The family is extremely grateful to caregivers Debbie and LaToya for the loving care they gave her during the last weeks of her life.

Services at Mary Immaculate Church, Monday, April 16, 2018

Visitation 10 am in the Foyer; Rosary 10:30 am in the Church followed by the Funeral Mass and Burial at Calvary Hill Cemetery at 2:30 pm

Reception immediately after Mass in the Parish Hall

Mom had a special place in her heart for the veterans so if you’d like, please donate to the Wounded Warrior Project in her name.