William A. (Bill) Brunner, 91, of Springfield, Missouri, passed from this earthly life to live with his Heavenly Father on April 16, 2015, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mount Vernon, Missouri. Born February 9, 1924, in Portsmouth, Ohio, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II and then attended Ohio State University and received a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. Bill married Irene Dawson Welde in Portsmouth, Ohio on January 20, 1951. He worked for the Dayton Tire and Rubber Company in Marietta, Ohio and moved to Springfield, Missouri in 1959 when the Dayco plant opened on Battlefield Road. Upon retirement from Dayco Corporation in February of 1986, he relocated to Shell Knob, Missouri to enjoy time with Irene until her death in 1988. Bill remained in Shell Knob for many years welcoming family and friends to days of fun on Table Rock Lake. Bill supported his sons in Boy Scouts serving as committee member, assistant scoutmaster and scoutmaster for Troop 4 in Springfield, Missouri. He spent many a week at Camp Arrowhead where his campfire coffee was a welcoming beacon to many of the adult leaders at the camp. Music was a big part of Bill's life and he played flute and piccolo in Ed Corbett's German Band and the Republic Community Band for many years. He was involved in the Rotary Club in Springfield, Missouri and the Lions Club in Shell Knob, Missouri where he served in many leadership positions. In 2006, he moved to The Gardens in Springfield, Missouri where he stayed until 2014 when he moved to the Missouri Veterans Home in Mount Vernon, Missouri. He is survived by his brother, Richard V. Brunner of Portsmouth, Ohio, and his three sons, David Welde of Springfield, Missouri and his wife Glenda; William D. Brunner of Wentzville, Missouri and his wife Jane; and Mark Brunner of Jefferson City, Missouri and his wife Debbie. He has 20 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. He was a former member of St. John's Chapel United Church of Christ in Springfield, Missouri, and Central Community United Methodist Church in Shell Knob, Missouri, and was a current member of Campbell United Methodist Church in Springfield, Missouri. The family would like to thank the Missouri Veterans Home in Mt. Vernon for their constant attention and compassionate care. Thanks also to Hospice Compassus in Springfield, Missouri, for their help and support. Visitation will be Saturday, April 25, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. with the memorial service following at 3:00 p.m. in Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home in Springfield, Missouri. Burial will be at the National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Camp Barnabas, a camp for children with disabilities at http://www.campbarnabas.org/donate/.
