Rita D. Brunn

Memorial Services for Rita D. Brunn (nee Czarnik) of Palatine, Illinois, will be held after the pandemic.

Rita passed away on Friday, October 9, 2020 and she was born on February 4, 1942 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

She was the daughter of the late Julia (nee Maciejewski) and Frank Czarnik, a carpenter and volunteer policeman.  A devoted wife of Robert Brunn for over 49 years; caring loving mother of 2 sons, Christopher Brunn of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Jonathan Brunn of Logan, Utah, and her daughters in law, Sabela Pena Garcia and Kerry Jordan (respectively); and cherished grandmother of Jordan, William and Baia; with whom she loved to be with, both in person and online.

She was a loving, kind, and charitable person.  In her youth and as an adult, she volunteered at a veterans hospital and also at a boys and girls organization for underprivileged children. She gave and volunteered her time, as an adult, to many other charitable causes.

Rita graduated from Notre Dame High School in Milwaukee, attended Alverno College in Wisconsin and also Harper College in Palatine.  She participated in the Children’s Laboratory School at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.  Rita led the Great Books program in a school in Palatine setting up a program for all the grades, enabling all interested children and parents to have access to the program.

Rita loved planning events and vacations for her family that included her grandchildren. One of these included, Rita leading her then young family; her children, in 1988, on a “See the USA in your Chevrolet”.   Her love of travel continued through her life.

Rita knew and could sing many songs.  When she heard a word or short phrase, she enjoyed recognizing and singing a song to compliment them. She loved to plan and have parties for family and friends throughout the year; including Halloween, Christmas, and the spring.

Rita was a certified Illinois Master Gardener and loved to plan and plant different landscaping plants at her home.

Rita will be fondly remembered by her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, Rita would be happy if you voted and donated to The Nature Conservancy, Attn: Treasury, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203, or to the National Park Foundation, Attn: Gift Processing, P.O. Box 17394, Baltimore, MD 21298-9450.