Henry Donald "Don" Brunette Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Henry Donald “Don” Brunette, 92, died on Saturday July 16, 2022 after a long and fulfilling life. He was born on March 8, 1930 in Flint Michigan to Henry and Helen (Castonguay) Brunette. Don moved to Milwaukee, WI where he met the love of his life, Marian Baierl. They courted while he served in the U.S. Navy, during which time he also had the honor of becoming a Shellback by sailing across the equator. After completing his Navy service, they were married on September 17, 1953 at Sacred Heart Church in Marshfield, WI and spent 63 happy years together. They began their life together in Milwaukee, where they had six children: Dave (Kathy), Sonoma, CA; Bob (Barbara), Madison WI; Greg (Mary), Lake Oswego, OR; Theresa; Mary (Nick) Tagliareni, Presque Isle, MI; and Mike (Rhonda), Machesney Park, IL. In 1964, they moved to Freeport, IL, where they raised their family and were involved in many activities at St. Thomas Aquinas Church and in the community. Their grown children have given them nine grandchildren: Vanessa, Nathan, Ben, Natalie, Dan, Emily, Lauren, Zach and Craig; and four great-grandchildren: Lillian, Vivian, Marlon, Jasmine. Don was preceded in death by his wife Marian, his daughter Theresa, his parents, his brother Albert and his sister Mary Lou. He is survived by his brother, Charles. Don was a loving husband and father as well as an active member of the community. He began his career as an electrical engineer at Cutler-Hammer, where he earned a patent for improvements to the reed switch. He also took engineering classes at the Milwaukee School of Engineering and Marquette University. After moving to Freeport, he worked for 27 years at Honeywell before retiring in 1991. In 1980, he was ordained as a permanent deacon in the Rockford diocese of the Catholic church and assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. In his ministry to the sick and dying, he provided hope and comfort to many during home visits and as a chaplain at St. Anthony’s Hospital and at Freeport Memorial Hospital. Don was an inveterate tinkerer and enjoyed camping, gardening, playing euchre and the guitar, and fishing. In 2019, Don fulfilled his childhood dream of living on a lake in northern Michigan by moving in with his daughter Mary and her family. He lived his final years there, surrounded by their loving care. One of his favorite activities was serving as a docent at the local historical lighthouses, where he could meet and talk with visitors from around the country. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday July 27, 2022 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1400 Kiwanis Drive, Freeport. A visitation will be held on Tuesday July 26, 2022 from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm at the Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home, 504 N. Walnut Ave., Freeport where there will be a scripture service at 4:00 pm. Visitation will also be held the morning of the service from 9:30 am to 10:15 am at the church. Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Presque Isle Township Museum Society in Presque Isle, MI.

Henry Donald "Don" Brunette

March 8, 1930 - July 16, 2022