Richard Wayne Brunkow

Notes:

A Funeral Service for Richard will be held on Monday, December 3, 2018, at 10:30 a.m., at the Milligan Auditorium in Milligan, Nebraska, with Kim Dunker officiating the service.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 2, 2018, from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Farmer & Son Funeral - Kotas Chapel in Milligan, Nebraska.

In Lieu of Flowers- Memorials are to be directed to the family for a later designation in memory of Richard.

Graveside Services will be conducted following the funeral service in the Bohemian National Cemetery in Milligan, Nebraska.

Richard Wayne Brunkow, the fourth child of Arthur Eric and Minna Matzke Brunkow, was born on August 28, 1930 on a farm ? mile south of Tobias. He was baptized as an infant and in 1943 confirmed at St. John's Church in Western.

He attended school in Tobias, grades kindergarten through 12, graduating in 1948 with a class of ten.

Upon graduation he attended National Railroad School in Omaha and worked for Peter Kewitt Construction. He moved to Lincoln and worked at Goodyear. Moving back to Tobias he worked for the railroad and later for Hamouz Service.

As a young adult he played softball with Western, Halfway Station, and Milligan teams. Later he umpired for local Little League baseball teams and girls', women's, and men's softball teams. During this time he served as the local representative on the SFS baseball league.

In the early 80's he worked with other local volunteers in erecting the backstop and fence at the present ball field.

In February of 1954 he started working for Milligan Farmers Coop. He worked there until his retirement in 1995. He was first employed as a tank truck driver, then worked in the fertilizer department, and last of all was in appliance service.

On June 9, 1954 he was united in marriage to Shirley Ann Synovec. Their first home was 1 mile east of Milligan. In 1961 they moved to their new home in Milligan. To this union 4 children were born, Alan Wayne, Kathy Kaye, Lois Lynne, and Jay Charles.
He was a member of the Tobias and Milligan Fire Departments for a total of 45 years. He served on the Milligan Village Board for 16 years.

His favorite pastimes through the years were going to polka dances, helping Alan on the farm, activities with his family, (especially his grandchildren), helping others, having coffee with friends, and woodworking. He especially enjoying demonstrating rope making using his antique rope machines. He did this at Homestead National Monument each June during Homestead Days, at Hanover, KS during Hanover Days, for several school groups, Boy Scout groups, Thayer County Historical Society and 4th grade classes at Crete Public School.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley of 64 years; daughter, Lois Butler and husband, Edward; sons, Alan Brunkow and wife, Debbie, and Jay Brunkow and wife, Tina: Grandchildren: Christa Polhemus-Walker; Brandon Polhemus and wife, Kimberly; Alison Schwanke and husband, Bryce; Juliana Schweitzer and husband, Jaron; Laura Smith and husband, Chris; Jarrod Brunkow and wife, Amie; Keely and Cami Brunkow. Great-grandsons: Caedmon and Emmett Schwanke, Coen Walker, Kason Smith, Ashton and Parker Schweitzer. Great-granddaughters: Zaylie Schweitzer, Anna and Kenzie Polhemus, Macklyn and Finley Smith, Aurora, Waverly, Araminta, and Milli Brunkow. Sister, Mary Lou Burback and husband, Donald Burback, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, infant daughter, Kathy Kaye, grandson, Benjamin Edward Polhemus, brothers, Almon Brunkow, Claremont Brunkow and wife, Angeline, sister, Neva Zemka and her husband, Kenneth, sister-in-law, Irene Mae Synovec, and brother in law, Milton J. Synovec and wife, Harriet and brother in law, John Jablonski.

(Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy)

Richard married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

FamilySearch.org indicates that Arthur E. Brunkow, born 1895 in Nebraska, was listed in the home of Christen F. and Augusta Brunkow on the 1910 Federal Census in Swan Creek, Saline County, Nebraska. Shown in the NebraskaGravestones.org database as the son of Christian BRUNKOW and Auguste PUTZKE, and husband of Wilhelmina "Minna" Matzke. His marker was also inscribed with "PVT US Army, World War I."

Arthur married Wilhelmina "Minna" H. Matzke. Wilhelmina was born on 29 Oct 1899 in Nebraska; died on 1 Mar 1995 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Plainview Cemetery, Saline County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Shown in the NebraskaGravestones.org database as the wife of Arthur Brunkow and daughter of Emil MATZKE and Elsie HINTZMAN.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1920 Census
Nebraksa, Jefferson County, Washington Precinct
Enumerated 14 Jan 1920
SD 4 ED 2229 Sheet 2?
FM 30-31
Matzke, Emil G Head M W 48 M 1884 Pa Germany German Germany German Germany German Farmer
Matzke, Elise Wf F W 43 M 1881 Pa Germany German Germany German Germany German
Matzke, Maria A Dtr F W 15 S Nebraska Germany German Germany German
Matzke, Bertha P Dtr F W 12 S Nebraska Germany German Germany German
Brunkow, Arthur E Son-in-law M W 25 M Nebraska Germany German Germany German
Brunkow, Minnia H Dtr F W 20 M Nebraska Germany German Germany German Farmer

Note: It appears that "Pommern" was written above Germany, and then lined out, on the line showing the place of birth of both Emil and Elise.