Commander Brunson was born in Watertown, NY. He was the son of the late Dr. Wright A. Brunson, Sr., and the late Floss Reed Brunson. He graduated from Falconer High School, Class of 1949, and then attended Jamestown Community College (JCC). He was the very first graduate of JCC, and the very first graduate of the New York Community College System receiving his associate degree in June 1951. In November 1951, he entered the U.S. Navy’s Naval Aviation Cadet Program. He was awarded his naval wings of gold and was commissioned an ensign in May 1953. Commander Brunson received his BS degree from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA in February 1965 and an MS degree in Systems Management for the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA in 1970.
Commander Brunson’s Navy career spanned 26 years, and included the Korean and Vietnam Wars. His many U.S. assignments included aircraft carrier based and land-based aviation squadrons involved in antisubmarine warfare flight operations, flight instructor (NAAS Whiting Field), assistant navigator aboard the USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39), patrol plane commander with Patrol Squadron Twenty Three (VP-23), current operation office with Fleet Air Wing Six, operations and briefing officer assigned to the National Military Command Center, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Commanding Officer of the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant in Dallas, TX. Upon his retirement for the U.S Navy in June 1975, he was employed by a number of aerospace firms. His 21 year civilian career ended in October 1996 when he retired from his regional manager’s position with Lear Astronics Corp. of Santa Monica, CA.
Commander Brunson with his wife, the late Nancy Harkins Brunson, co-authored the book Grieve Not for Wrightsie; that chronicled the family experiences during the 11 month terminal illness of their 8 year old son, Wright III. IN July 1978, the manuscript was published by Logos International, Plainfield, NY.
Commander Brunson is survived by his wife, Phylis Burke Harrison of Hobe Sound, FL(originally from Mayville, NY); his daughter, Elizabeth M. Brunson of New York City; step daughters, Beth Anne Renswick of Ashland, VA, Marcia H. Trantas of Baltimore, MD and Tucson, AZ, Julie H. Manley LaTulipe of Guilderland, NY, and Christine Harrison of Springfield, NJ; and his granddaughter, Sarah LaTulipe of Guilderland, NY. .
Commander Brunson was predeceased in death by his son, Wright III in September 1972 and by his wife, Nancy Harkins Brunson of Danbury, CT and Arlington, TX in May 1994, and by his wife, Joyce Sullivan-Brunson of Danbury, CT and Sun City Hilton Head, SC in June 2005. He was also predeceased in death by his sister, Patricia Brunson Sampsell of Sinclairville, NY and Ponce Inlet, FL; his twin sister, Nancy Brunson Price of Fluvanna, NY and sister, Janet Brunson Bloomquist of the Falconer-Kennedy Road, NY.
A traditional Anglican burial service will be conducted during the Summer of 2016 at Fort Meyers Chapel in Arlington, VA and inurnment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
Please sign his online guestbook at www.youngandprill.com
Local arrangements are entrusted to Aycock-Young and Prill Chapel in Stuart, FL.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18