Harold Edwin Bruns

Harold Edwin Bruns, 86, of Gonzales, passed away Tuesday, May 5, 2015. Harold was born Jan. 24, 1929 in his family home near Floyd Chapel, 10 miles south of Gonzales, to Edwin Fred Bruns and Lola Boysen Bruns. 

Harold married Billie Jean White on Nov. 19, 1949 in the Gonzales First Baptist Parsonage. He had been a member of the First United Methodist Church for over 50 years, serving as the church’s treasurer for over 26 years and he had been a member of the Methodist Men. 

Harold was a member of GCAM and served as its treasurer and had served on the board of directors for the Happy House School. Harold was a faithful worker in the FUMC Come & Take It food booth. For years he set up the barbecue pit and stoked the fire in preparation the weekend’s fundraiser. He worked with the Good Samaritan Outreach of the church, where through and with GCAM, he kept a log book of individual and family needs of many in the community who needed home repairs, wheel chair access and home maintenance. He used this to direct visiting mission groups and local people to assure these needs were met.          

Growing up in the Floyd Chapel area, Harold would arise early, milk the cows and feed the chickens before riding horseback to school in Cost. In the evenings Harold would walk the trails looking for their range turkeys to herd them home for the night before he could do his school lessons by the light of a kerosene lamp. 

On Saturdays the family would bring a bale of cotton to Gonzales to sell and use the money to buy flour and other necessities that they couldn’t raise or grow on their farm.  Of all the necessities they purchased, Harold’s favorite was the 25 pound block of ice they would use for the ice box and to make ice cream. He enjoyed playing fast pitch softball and those he played against will remember him as a menacing pitcher playing well into his 40s. 

Harold served his country through the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He served with the 8^th Army before being honorably discharged and returning home to his loving wife and a career with Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative as a draftsman. 

Harold worked for GVEC for 35 years retiring as the engineering department’s supervisor. All during this time he continued farming and ranching with his brother Louis Henry Bruns. Together they kept up the family farm and additional properties, improving grasses, fence lines, hay fields and their cattle. All their lives they worked and sweated side by side in a labor of love and with brotherly devotion. 

Harold Bruns was good man. He helped Billie with the dishes and chores in and around the house not because he was raised that way, but because he wanted too. His family did everything together. 

He was a supportive and loving husband, father and grandfather. He instilled a strong work ethic in his son and grandsons. He was very well versed in the bible and his relationship with his Lord was genuine. He taught his son to pray, lived his life as an example of integrity, honesty, standing firm for what is right and that patience is truly a virtue. 

Harold Bruns was loved by his church family and community. He was generous with his time, with his means, with his faith and with his love and the world is a better place because he lived.

Harold Edwin Bruns is survived by his adoring wife, Billy Jean Bruns of Gonzales; son and daughter-in-law, Thomas Harold Bruns and Theresa of Kingwood; grandsons, Christopher Thomas Bruns of Houston and Cody Michael Bruns of College Station; and brother and sister-in-law, Louis Henry Bruns and Daelene of Luling. 

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 8 in the First United Methodist Church with Pastor Andy Smith officiating. Private family interment will be held later in Gonzales Memorial Park. Pallbearers include Pal Lester, Tom Lester, Sr., Ricky Lester, Byron Lester, Derek Lester and Kenneth Leonhardt. Honorary pallbearers are the members of the Progressive Sunday School class. 

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church Stockton Building for the future Youth Center, 426 St. Paul, Gonzales, Texas 78629 or the Methodist Children’s Home, 1111 Herring Avenue, Waco, Texas 76708. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.