Robert "Tom" Thomas Brunton Jr.

Robert Thomas Brunton, Jr (Tom) was born February 28, 1940 in Kenmore, NY, the oldest child and only son to Robert Thomas Brunton Sr and his beloved wife Alice. His two younger sisters gave him early practice at what would become a lifelong specialty: being lovingly outnumbered.

To call Tom Brunton’s life a rich adventure is an understatement.

Tom lettered in swimming and track at Kenmore High, which turned out to be good training for the main event: keeping up with Peg, the classmate who became his lifelong sweetheart and his wife. He studied Industrial Distribution at Clarkson University and in time joined the family business, GW Brunton & Sons.

Hand Tom a guitar, and a room full of strangers became a room full of friends. He’d strum his way through The Kingston Trio, John Denver and Harry Belafonte, and before long everyone was singing along, whether they knew the words or not. He had a beautiful tenor voice and perfect pitch. He lent his talent to the Bernie Schmitt Singers in Syracuse, NY, and to Episcopal church choirs in Buffalo, NY, and Wilmington, NC.

He had a servant’s heart and an organizer’s mind, a combination that reliably gets a person put in charge of things. Tom was a member, leader and Paul Harris fellow of the Kenmore, NY Rotary for more than 30 years, and he served as vestry member, warden and treasurer of the churches he called home. If there was a budget to balance or an event to pull together, odds are Tom had already volunteered.

He was an avid sailor who raced Lightnings with Peg and her late brother, Tom Lippard. His sense of adventure never retired. At 70, he convinced his bride to leave their home, and her truly voluminous shoe collection, behind for a cross-country RV trek to see this beautiful country from the road. Peg went. The shoes did not.

Most of all, Tom was a family man. He stayed close to his parents his whole life. Outnumbered four to one at home, he claimed a small but sacred territory: his recliner, his remote, and Sunday worship at the church of the Buffalo Bills, where his faith was tested often and never wavered. He was a relentless champion for his girls, and he never let a chance pass to tell them they could do anything. They never once had to wonder how proud he was of their accomplishments.

He is survived by his wife Peg of 65 years; his sisters, Linda Brunton and Barb Zentz and husband Gene; his daughters and their husbands, Laura and Ken Lorenz, Betsy and Erik Peters, and Becki and Dan Bissell; his granddaughters and husbands, Megan and Matt Falcone, Katie and Austin Barron, and grandsons Walker Bissell, and Max and Teddy Peters; and his great-grandchildren, Matt and Mason Falcone.

In keeping with a life spent showing up for his community, the family asks that those wishing to honor Tom make a donation in his name to Rotary International’s Annual Fund-SHARE., or St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington.