John H Brunelle

BRUNELLE John Haney Brunelle, 91, passed away peacefully on June 24, 2014. He was a resident of South Holland for over 55 years, where he and his beloved late wife, Florence Marie Brunelle (nee, Magaraggia) raised their four children. John had a wit and a sense of humor that kept everyone laughing, right up to the end of his life. John discovered his direction early in life in Wallace, Idaho where he grew up loving to draw and where he witnessed Charles Lindbergh fly over his home town. John was a talented commercial artist and designed many familiar packages that are on the market today. Before moving to Chicago in 1948 to attend the Chicago Academy of Art, John attended Gonzaga University on the GI Bill, which he earned by being a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps in WWII. He spoke often of his experiences of flying a C-47 across the Himalayas in the China-Burma-India Theater to deliver troops, supplies and mules. Unbeknownst to John until the late 1990's, several top secret missions he had flown over the "Hump" were for a member of the OSS, now the CIA, who had hand-picked him for his flying skills and his trustworthiness. John earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses for flying missions flown in combat. Throughout his life, John was intellectually curious and loved to sit at his table to read, write, invent and create. Often he sent out envelopes to his children, grandchildren and friends, filled with clippings from magazines and newspapers that he found to be of interest. His fax machine was his life-line, often faxing hilarious mock-ups of pictures and jokes that will be forever treasured by his family. In recent months, John enjoyed making beautiful necklaces, bracelets and rings out of acorns and beads that were stunning works of art. Reciting poetry from memory, from simple rhymes to Runyard Kipling's "Gunga Din", was an amazing skill that John possessed, even in recent weeks. John was born at home in Woodland Park in the Burke Canyon, just north of Wallace, Idaho in 1922. He was the third of five children born to Alvan Henry and Marguerite Haney Brunelle. Throughout his entire life, John spoke very fondly of his hard-working and gentle father and strong and humorous mother, whom he adored. Two of his siblings died in childhood, Patsy and Alvan Thomas Brunelle. His sister, Loretta Lafrenz passed in 1973 and his brother, Alvan Bernard "Barney" Brunelle passed in 2013 in Boise, Idaho. All attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic school and church, where John was an altar boy. John is survived by three first cousins, many nieces and nephews and the siblings of his deceased wife. His passing is deeply mourned by the Brunelle children who include Patricia Louise (Janet Zagoria) and Dennis Haney (Kim), both of San Francisco and John Bernard and Sharon Lee (Robert Rosholt) of Chicago. He is also deeply cherished by his grandchildren, Erin Therese, Daniel Haney, Owen Thomas, Griffin John and his step-grandchildren, David Rosholt (Jill Hutchison) and Laura Rosholt (Daniel Bourdon) and his precious great-granddaughter, Amelia Claire Rosholt. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 11:00 am at Holy Ghost Catholic Church located at 700 East 170th Street in South Holland, Illinois with a viewing at the church at 10 am. Interment Assumption Cemetery - Glenwood, IL. In lieu flowers, contributions can be made to a charity of your choice or the Air Force Aid Society at afas.org. Arrangements entrusted to Smits, DeYoung-Vroegh Funeral Home - South Holland, IL More info at 708-333-7000 or www.SMITSFH.com.