Donna J. Brunow

Donna was born June 8, 1938, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of the late Theodore and Wolga (Winkert) Dirks.

Donna taught at Trinity Lutheran School in Bloomington, Illinois from 1958-1959 and St. Mark’s Lutheran School, Wausau, Wisconsin from 1959-1961. She also was a ready sub in the schools where her husband, Gene, was the principal.

Music was a huge part of her life. When she was younger, she was a member of numerous singing groups. While still in high school, she served as her congregation’s organist. She performed in her college A Capella chorus. She sang in church choirs, also serving as accompaniment and director at different times. She served as the organist in almost all the churches she and her family attended over the years. She was very active in LWML, serving as a Circuit Christian Growth Leader and contributed her talents as a Bible class leader.

Donna was an excellent baker and cook, even serving as a cook in the school lunch program in Marshfield. She was always in the kitchen, perfecting her mother’s recipes for Kuchen and danish. She always had some baked goods, ready to share with anyone who stopped by for a visit.

She lived as a dedicated matriarch and caregiver to her family. Donna was a loving and supportive spouse, nurturing mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She enjoyed playing games, working in her flower garden, and watching mysteries and game shows. She was also a woman of nimble hands and generous heart who stitched love into every piece she created, whether it was a quilt for each family member, baptismal handkerchiefs for the church, or repairing a beloved torn stuffy for one of the grandchildren.

Donna is survived by the love of her life, Gene Brunow of 65 years of Fort Wayne; daughters, Amy Bennigan of Fort Wayne, Judi Brunow of Fort Wayne, Yvonne (Richard) Schwantz of New Haven, and Cheryl (Ty) Bennett of Fort Wayne; 11 grandchildren, Adrienne (Corey) Roth, Nic (Rhonda) Bennigan, Jeremy Bennigan, Sam Brunow, Rachel (Josh) Sowders, Abby (Andrew) Kreager, Sarah and Joe Schwantz, Tucker, Lindsay, and Allison Bennett; and four great grandchildren, Rory Bennigan, and Anastasia, Ezra, and Teddy Sowders.

A funeral service will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 917 West Jefferson Boulevard, Fort Wayne, on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 11:00 am. Visitation will be at the church beginning at 9:30 am until the service begins. Donna will await the Resurrection in Concordia Cemetery Gardens, Fort Wayne.

Preferred memorials may be made to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, the Rev. Dr. Gene and Donna Brunow Scholarship Fund at Concordia Lutheran High School, Fort Wayne, or Stillwater Hospice of Fort Wayne.