Milford Franklin Brunk, 90, of Bluffton, Ohio, died Dec. 5, 2012. He was born June 9, 1922, in Biglerville, Pa., to Christian and Jeannette Leakey Brunk. He was the oldest of six siblings. He married Beatrice Hartman on June 19, 1948, in Wissemborg, France, during the last year of a two-year term with Mennonite Central Committee where he was part of a post-war reconstruction unit. They had three children: one son, Rene’, and two daughters, Susie and Jeannette.
Mr. Brunk’s love for nature was reflected in his life-long choices of work and recreation. He was a member of the Audubon Society in Phoenix, Ariz. He organized and led camping trips to Mexico and northern Arizona and hikes down Havasu Canyon for the youth and young adults at Sunnyslope Mennonite Church.
He became Director of Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp, Colorado, in the early 1960s. During those 20 years, he designed and built buildings in the Swiss Chalet architectural style. He took classes in rock climbing and taught many campers how to repel off the face of Monkey Rock. His love of hiking resulted in his climbing 43 “fourteen-ers,” as the 14,000-foot-high mountains of Colorado are referred to.
He was an expert at identifying hundreds of wildflowers that grew below and above the tundra line. Following retirement from RMMC, Mr. Brunk became an amateur naturalist and docent at Bear Creek Nature Center in Colorado Springs. He was a member of the AdAmAn Society, a group of professional men, who hiked Pike’s Peak every New Year’s Eve to give Colorado Springs a midnight fireworks show as a way of celebrating the new year.
He is survived by his wife, Beatrice, of Bluffton, daughter, Susie (Bill) Swartley of Bluffton, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Mr. Brunk was preceded in death by a son, Rene’ Brunk, and daughter, Jeannette Gingerich.
A memorial fund has been established at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp to honor the life and work of Frank. Contributions may be sent to the Frank Brunk Memorial Fund, RMMC, 709 County Road 62, Divide, Colo. 80814.
